Camilla and Grono, after learning human history from Catface Laguna, have questions about animals and the history of animals on our planet.  At Doña Fina's cozy cottage, Camilla and Grono learn about zoology and biology from Doña Fina and Catface Laguna.

This is the fourth episode of this educational series in which children can learn basic knowledge about the world, history, geography, science, math, and many other things. The learning occurs through fun stories and characters from the world of THE OCTOPUS WARS.  Make sure to check out the accompanying educational book, The Octopus Wars Educational Series: Level 1.   

DESCRIPTION OF PODCAST:

During the day, I work as a professor of neuroscience, but, in the evenings, for fun, my daughter and I collaborate on a podcast, The Octopus Wars, which consists of old-style, humorous tales set in Mendoza, wine country, during the 1940s.  This turned out to be a fun and educational family project.  While working on the podcast, I noticed that my daughter and her friends had many questions, not just about the tales and the magical world of The Octopus Wars, but about world history, science, language, and many other things.  I realized that I could teach many things through the funny characters in the story, which is what led to the present book series.  Visit the website of THE OCTOPUS WARSat http://emsfsu.podomatic.net/

As an educator and a father, I have learned that, when it comes to teaching, the best form of teaching can occur through a story, when the student does not even know that the learning is taking place. I have also learned that, in some cases, “less is more.”  The critical thing is to present the right information in the right amount.  (I have learned the hard way, when teaching neuroscience, that presenting too much information can be worse than presenting no information at all!)  Too many learning stimuli—graphs, images, and figures—presented all at once can sometimes overwhelm and discourage the learner.  The right information at the right amount serves as a scaffold for future learning, and fun stories keep the student engaged and wanting more. I hope that you enjoy these podcasts as much as my family and I have enjoyed putting them together!   

Ezequiel Morsella,
San Francisco, 4 September 2022