PBS Idea Channel

What happens when your best friend (Katie) is a brilliant microbiologist with a PhD, teaching at the collegiate level? You find that you are in a constant battle to one-up each other on nerdy pop culture. Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, The Big Bang Theory (Katie actually understands the stuff that Sheldon talks about) and most importantly Game of Thrones are often our main topics of discussion. For the most part, she wins our battles. But I do have to say she has an unfair advantage hanging with college kids and being....well...brilliant.

To be fair, Katie also speaks football, basketball, and hockey.
While I just speak, "Oh hey, that player is cute."

Throughout our discussions, she's introduced me to several fun YouTube channels. One is created just to get people thinking and can be used as a discussion starter for middle and high schools. Some of the topics may work in some upper elementary classes.

The PBS Idea Channel

The channel posts a new video every Wednesday. The videos are fast-paced, current, and the host, Mike Rugnetta, reminds me of my teacher friend Matt.

Seriously, when I watch the episodes I think...Matt could totally do that!

Topics include and range from 

"Doctor Who is a Religion"

to "Math Might not Actually Exist"

to the hot button in education right now

"Google is Knowledge"

and of course, it's on the internet, so it must have some cats.

They even spent one episode visiting a classroom that watches, discusses, and then comments on the videos weekly.

For those of you who are reading this going, "That's great but YouTube is locked down tighter than Fort Knox at my school." Have no fear!!!!! You can find the videos on the PBS website.