Topics include earthquakes, volcanoes, floods & bush fires, causes and effects of these natural hazards and human responses to them, the global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes and their relationship with the boundaries of the crustal plates, case study of Wellington, New Zealand, and preparing for a major earthquake.
Grade levels: Senior High (10-12)
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Designing a Lawnmower
We follow the design process during the design of a new lawnmower. The company needed a new lawn mower so they approached an industrial design office with a brief. Topics include brainstorming, ideas, sketches, 3D renderings of the best designs, prototypes, testing the cutting ability, standard tests in the factory, engineering design, manufacture and launch.
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Developing New Food Products
We follow the development of the 3 new food items; the reduced fat muesli bar – Sonya mixes up a recipe in the lab, Samantha’s marketing team ensures it’s exactly what the kids want to buy and Steve’s engineers trial the bar in the pilot factory before it is manufactured on a large scale; high fiber/fiber white bread – a rare breed of corn contains a special fiber that is now added to white bread; healthy margarine with canola oil which contains Omega-3 fatty acids which prevents bowel cancer.
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Designing Packaging
Most things that we buy come in some form of packaging. A lot of time and effort goes into designing packaging that serves a variety of functions, is appealing to consumers and is economic to make. The purposes of packing and principles of good packaging design are examined before we investigate the design brief, and the numerous technical and other criteria that the packaging has to meet to be considered successful. We then look at the actual design process, from concept sketches to testing and evaluation of the finished product.
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Designing a Shop Project
This program follows two students as they plan and produce different versions of a CD holder. One chooses a wooden rotating rack as a way of storing a large number of CDs in minimal space; the other builds a small shelf unit using plastics. They both apply the design process to the task: creating a design brief, developing ideas, modeling, drawing blueprints, making a cutting list (that includes detailed cost factors), construction, and testing and evaluating. An appealing young host, Blake, who explains the process in a casual, but clear and concise manner, guides viewers through the program. This video has application in Technology courses and is appropriate for Grades 9 to 12.
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Coastal Dunes
Coastal dunes are good examples of fragile ecosystems. This video explores dune ecology, the impact of human-induced change and the management of these ecosystems through coastal dune rehabilitation. Case studies shown include dunecare groups, high school student groups, Bitou bush control, dune revegetation and ecosystem re-establishment after sand mining.
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Australia – An Economic Profile
Using key economic indicators such as GDP, employment and exports figures, this video examines the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy. Particular emphasis is placed on the Australian landscape and climate, and how these effect the production of goods and services in Australia. Areas covered include the agricultural and mining sectors, fishery, forestry, manufacturing, tourism and a case study of a service industry.
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Ecotourism
A film which examines what constitutes ecotourism and what does not. Different types of ecotours; whale watching and sea kayaking in Canada, Coral islands in North Queensland, wildlife research in Mexico. This video will also examine the changing expectations of tourists and the effect on the environment, local communities and economies.
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WWII – Conflict in the Pacific Part 2
Topics examined include Allied Strategy against Japan, Battle of the Coral Sea, Battle of Midway, Guadalcanal, the cult of Bushido, New Guinea., Island-hopping, Yalta Conference, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Potsdam Conference, the A-bomb and subsequent controversy over its use, Allied occupation of Japan (1945-52), and consequences of the war in the Pacific.
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Cell Processes
Same topics as our video THE CELL but instead of animation it is all through the microscope. Topics covered: cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, phagocytosis, pinocytosis, lysosome, ribosome assembly, vacuole, turgor pressure, nucleus, nucleolus, cytoskeleton, actin, microtubule, mitosis.