Piper Nicely- Editor in Chief
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been watching a lot of tv lately. It just seems like it’s always on, when I’m relaxing, when I’m studying, when I’m doing homework and when I’m with my family. Since we’ve found ourselves stuck at home most of the time these days, a lot of people have been turning to the tube for information, entertainment and comfort. But if I’m honest with myself, delaying my school work to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender is far from productive or educational (unless you want a class in exquisite storytelling). So, to assuage my procrastination-induced guilt, I’ve been trying to watch more educational shows to either help myself study when online school becomes a struggle, or just to feel like I’m still putting effort into learning. If you’re like me and can’t drag yourself away from the TV, then here’s a little list of some of my favorite educational shows to make the most of that time in front of the screen!
Horrible Histories
I have recently fallen in love with this show. It is a British sketch comedy show that highlights the different, more horrible portions of history. From caveman burial rights to medieval laundry machines to viking hair salons, it goes over all the nitty gritty details of our past that we don’t often think about. It’s honestly a really funny show that offers details about history we don’t seem to learn in our textbooks. For anyone learning world or European history, this show would be a great resource to get some details and stories that might really impress your teachers!
Bill Nye the Science Guy
This one is an old classic. We all remember the good old days singing along to the classic theme song in elementary school and watching Bill get up to his usual crazy antics. To this day, I still study for science tests by watching this show. He makes complicated topics more accessible and explains them in simple terms with easy to understand examples and demonstrations. I’m not great at science, so sometimes it takes talking to me like I’m in the third grade to really understand a topic and that is ok. On top of all that, it’s funny, entertaining, and nostalgic. Science rules!
The Magic School Bus
This was one of my absolute favorite shows as a kid and I stand by learning from it to this day. It’s another elementary school classic as we travel along with Miss. Frizzle and her trusty sidekick Liz the lizard and Bus. This show also explains science in easy to understand terms and makes it super enjoyable. To this day, the only facts I know about chemistry are from the episode where they, as the theme song always says, “get baked into a pie”. When I’m struggling to understand a concept in science, I always turn to this show for an easy explanation. Take notes on Miss. Frizzle’s lessons, I’ve gotten some good grades thanks to her! This show is extremely informative and reminds me of the good old days, something I think we all need in these difficult times.
The Big Fat Quiz of Everything
This show has been my obsession for over a year now, and if you’re interested in comedy, competition, current events, history and occasionally interpretive dance, The Big Fat Quiz of Everything is for you! This British quiz show brings together comedians from all across the UK to answer questions about history, politics, science, sports, technology, language, culture and so much more. I’ve honestly learned a lot from this show without really realizing it, both about history and science, as well as just general information about the UK (you would not believe how much I know about British grocery stores). And if you’re tired of hearing about the past, brush up on current events with The Big Fat Quiz of the Year or The Big Fat Quiz of the Decade, episodes they produce yearly that cover all the events of the past year and ones they produce at the end of the decade to cover and catch up on everything that has happened. This show is so funny and strangely informative, you won’t stop laughing (and learning) until the final credits roll!
Blue Planet
At one point in time, we’ve all watched one of these documentaries on Animal Planet when there was nothing else on, but they are seriously underrated! The beautiful visuals combined with Sir David Attenborough’s soothing voice make for an overall excellent viewing experience. But, if you get past how sleep inducing and hypnotizing these documentaries are, they are super informative. I have gotten really into nature documentaries during lockdown as they make me feel like I am learning something about science (Did you know tuskfish can use tools? Crazy!) and like I can get out and see the world while being stuck at home. So settle in, watch some fish swim, some seals play and learn a little bit more about the planet we’ll all be able to see again soon.
Brain Games
If you’ve already taken AP psychology here at Southview, you know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. This show breaks down the human brain and how it works and responds to the world around us. With interactive games and hidden camera experiments, this show is funny, informative and honestly kind of crazy. Watching this show in class and doing the games and experiments with my friends is such a fond memory that watching it at home brings some joy and nostalgia. It also offers some helpful takeaways like how to sleep better and how to improve your memory (the tips from this show are the only thing that got me a high AP exam score) that are perfect for students learning from home. Prepare to have your mind blown as the host breaks apart the human brain and how it works, taking a deep and in depth dive into the world’s only natural supercomputer!
I hope this helps you feel productive or gives you some tools to succeed when you are feeling lazy, are in the mood to binge watch or are just trying to pass a class. Good luck to all my fellow online learners and television connoisseurs!0
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