From sees to the skies - BBC movie

Salam Alykoum,

Even thought I have been in teaching position for only few months, I could not fail to notice the big disconnect my students have with science. The first few lectures in my first semester were just a complete shock, some were protesting the language, some protesting the content, and many were in shock that no slides or summary will be provided to them. So, how can I win them and how I can spark their interest in the two courses that I am teaching. Perhaps I can do something new, something they are not used to, so I tried to break into their facebook group.. but I failed. Their group was guarded with smart observant admin.

That left me in dilemma, they do not want me in their group, but I have to get my course in their heads but their hearts was my first aim. I forgot to mention, that I had about 70 student in the ecology class, and 82 in the vertebrate class. To add insult to injury, most of the them took the two courses. Therefore, I was facing the same students who see me as an enemy. The same students who think that my aim is to torture them and make their life not-so-easy, or miserable. 

Thinking of ways to bridge the gap, I thought of an extra ordinary tutor; father of natural history, and father of generations of ecologist, that is David Attenborough. I have most of his production, so why not use it..... so I did. The impact was indescribable, they listened and watched every second with full attention. Many after my lecture followed me to know how to get the movies or to ask if they can borrow it.
At the end, David Attenborough was the solution.

Nowadays, my tradition is to start my vertebrate course with a movie of his, I think you guessed it, the rise of animal,

Here is a brief about the movie taken from his website:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the series

From the team that produced David Attenborough’s triple-Emmy award-winning series First Life (BBC 2010), Rise of Animals is a landmark series about the astonishing evolutionary advances that created the dazzling diversity of vertebrates which now dominate our planet – including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and, ultimately, mammals like us. This animal group has produced the largest, the fastest and the most intelligent creatures the world has ever seen.
David Attenborough’s 500 million year journey takes us around the world to the sites of the latest key discoveries including his first filming trip to a region that has become the modern frontier of paleontological research, China.
David uses animal encounters and new science to unpack the crucial evolutionary turning points leading to the rise of vertebrates, including the first spine, where fingers and toes come from, why we became warm-bloodied, and much more – specialities that have led to the stunning success of the vertebrates. The journey reveals how humans are the heirs to a magnificent evolutionary heritage stretching back to the first steps of life.
Rise of Animals uses a special collaboration between Emmy-winning company ZOO-VFX and top scientists to create eye-popping CGI. This, combined with stunning natural history filming and the world’s greatest natural history filmmaker, David Attenborough, tells the story of our ancient animal ancestors and connects them with the incredible life that we find on Earth today – including ourselves.
Episode 1: From the Seas to the Skies
David Attenborough uses new fossil evidence to unlock nature’s most extraordinary story – the incredible ascent of the animal group that now dominates our planet: The vertebrates. The origins of the vertebrates lie in primitive fish that once swam in ancient seas but remarkable advances allowed them to make the radical move onto land, and then take to the skies with the advent of flight. Brand new discoveries of fossils – ancient and living – combined with stunning CGI and cinematography enable David to chart their unexpected journey out of the water to populate all corners of the globe.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My students had to watch this movie, first not because they liked it, but because I had to make it a course material required in the exam. But now I think they will watch it with their families and friends, exactly like I did, just because they know better....

I really wish all of you best of luck all,

Mohammed Alshamlih