Get to Know: Eunice Newton Foote

Science Museum of Virginia

This video is about Eunice Newton Foote, who studied the effect different gases have on the heat from the sun's rays. This is an engaging and funny video that describes the basis of climate science, while also discussing the hindering role of sexism in advancing science.

Click to View

Notes from our reviewers

The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials.

An additional explanation and/or visual diagram to explain Foote's findings would enhance the scientific content of the video or the lesson surrounding the video. Teachers could extend the activity by asking students to create their own visual of Foote's experiment and her findings, and students could explain why Foote's research in 1856 is so relevant to climate science today. This resource would be best paired with a lesson about foundational people in science and their contributions, or a "Women in Science" lesson as well.
This video is funny and playful while presenting content on greenhouse gas scientific research history and the history of bias and sexism in the scientific community that inhibited scientific advancement. It presents the concept that CO2 retains more heat than other gases (explored by Foote) when heated by the sun's rays and/or the heat reflected off the surface of the earth. This video is as much or more about bias against women in science history as it is about early climate research and the findings of Eunice Foote. Many reference links were listed at the end of the video, including climate.gov so the information is reputable. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
No teacher's guide is included to pair with the video. The teacher would need to develop activities alongside the video which could include exploring bias in scientific research or Foote's experiment on greenhouse gases and the significance of her findings today. The outcome of this video is to learn about Eunice Newton Foote's foundational contribution to climate science - that CO2 retains more heat than other atmospheric gases. This is a very fun video for younger audiences, and can engage a range of diverse learners.