The Wonderful Power of Videos in the Classroom

I don't know if your students are anything like mine, but if they are, there are days that getting them focused and paying attention is a losing battle. Even if they are quiet, gettting them focused and attentive is a different story!

Here's a strange thing that some of us in my department have been noticing lately. Students pay attention to a video clip much better than they pay attention to me. I have used this in a few different ways:

-- using video clips such as this that I have found online, and then creating a guided note sheet, questions, or an assignment to go with it. Here is one example of a great instructional video. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhvSX0-I9N8. There are a lot, usually about 5-10 minutes long that can replace notes, introduce a topic, or reinforce notes.  It's similar to the idea of the flipped classroom, in a way, except I'm doing it in class in this case, student can watch together in the board, or in their own on device,depending on the time you want to spend, and the structure of your class/access to technology.  Kids say to me things like "remember on Friday in the video when that man was talking and he said...."  

-- I have also created or found some even shorter video clips and photos to give lab instructions, and to show a model of something. It's big, easy for everyone to see, and they can rewind if needed. For example, I made a video of making the onion cell slide. Not great, but it was my first one. Easily filmed with a cellphone, tablet, webcam. For some reason, they seem to remember. 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7fe0UGOR5s8.   

Do your kids respond differently to a video?  How do you use technology innovatively in the classroom?  

September Linky: Starting the School Year

I started a monthly linky in July.  Now its time for September!! It will run as follows:

• Each month will have a theme
• The linky will be posted on 15th of the month.  It will be open until the next one opens.
• You may post a link to website or free resource, or a paid product.  
• If you post a paid product, you must note that it is paid.  If it is paid and not shown, the link will be removed.

What will you do, did you do, or have you done to start your school year off right? How do you get your students interested in the class, and get that oh-so-important beginning of school going the way you want it?!

I included this picture because a friend of mine (brave soul) does the Mentos and Diet Coke activity as an experiment on the first day of school.  Kids leave saying "I love Chemistry!  I wonder what we are going to do tomorrow?!"

Monthly Linky: August

I started a monthly linky in July.  Now its time for August!! It will run as follows:

• Each month will have a theme
• The linky will be posted on 15th of the month.  It will be open until the next one opens.
• You may post a link to website or free resource, or a paid product.  
• If you post a paid product, you must note that it is paid.  If it is paid and not shown, the link will be removed.

The theme for August is classroom organization or classroom management.  For example: incentives you use, ways that you help yourself, your students or you stay organized, tips that you have for planning or running various activities, etc.