These clips from The Simpsons cartoons are intended for use by science teachers. They should be previewed before showing to ensure they are appropriate for the intended student audience. It is recommended that you download and archive each clip that you would like to use. To do this, right click on the clip and select “Save Video As…”. On a Mac, try control-click. They are a great way to liven up a slide presentation and should import into PowerPoint etc.. The posting and use of theses clips for educational purposes conforms with the fair use provisions of the copyright act.
General Science
Metric System 1 (1:01) – Mr. Burns discovers that ignorance of the metric system can have a negative effect on his business. You will find yourself quoting him all year when a student makes a conversion error. “Sounded large when I ordered it”
Metric System 2 (0:14) – Homer will only promise so much to get out of prison, following the metric system is not one of them.
Powers of 10 (2:06) – The opening couch scene pays homage to Charles and Ray Eames’ classic film.
Inverse Graph (0:34) – Lisa uses a graph to explain the inverse relationship between happiness and intelligence. At least your sadder students will understand.
Science Fair (3:47) – Lisa’s project to show that Bart is dumber than a hamster backfires. A great clip to use to motivate students to work on a science fair project.
Fossil Fuel Four (1:59) – Radioactive Man tries to stop the Fossil Fuel Four from destroying the nuclear plant. Which one doesn’t belong on this team of villains?
Field Trip (2:59) – The only science is during the bus braking procedure but any teacher who has taken their students on a field trip will enjoy it. I use it to help remind students to get their permission slips in on time.
Half-Assed Job (1:49) – The Simpsons hire a nanny named Mary Bobbins. Her signature song is perfect for playing while your students clean up their lab stations. I recommend just playing the audio or they will end up doing a quarter-assed job while they watch the video.
Bart’s Comet (3:59) – This clip is rich in science and humor. It includes a bicycle light generator hampering Bart’s progress, Principal Skinner explains why “science has it all”, and a brief lesson on constellations. I show it when doing a lesson on constellations and learning the night sky.
Solar Eclipse (0:31) – Leonard Nimoy enjoys a total eclipse of the Sun that temporarily halts the runaway Springfield monorail. “Solar energy, when will people learn?”