Second season of science series for youngsters debuts

The second season of Lihuadan, an animation series that aims to popularize science among young Chinese students, made its debut on Thursday.

Produced by Xueersi, a training institute for the sciences under the Tomorrow Advancing Life Education Group, the first season of 30 episodes was released on China's video site Youku.com last year and received almost 10 million views, ranking it first among all education programs on the website.

Xue Rao, editor-in-chief of Youku Education, said the number is small when compared with the click rate of other TV serials, "but it is astronomical for an education program".

The first season's popularity led to the production of the second season and the newest episode is about the tournament system of the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

Each episode is only three to four minutes. The series explains scientific concepts, such as friction force and reference frame, in an easier and more interesting way for students to understand some abstract or complex knowledge.

Many teachers who teach the sciences at elementary and middle schools use Lihuadan in their classes to assist in their lessons.

Wang Yihui, a physics teacher at a junior middle school in Lanzhou, Gansu province, said both she and her students appreciate the Lihuadan series.

"My students prefer to watch Lihuadan together with me, rather than having me stand in front of the classroom telling them what is friction force and what is reference frame," she said.

"Now, many of my colleagues and friends who are also teachers are using Lihuadan to enhance their teaching methods."

zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn