Video as a Powerful Tool

For the most part, I have used video in my past projects that I have taken in class. My instructors, as well, have also incorporated video into the lessons. Most times, the videos were VHS tapes, but videos nonetheless. I’ve used videotapes to give information and statistics on a few topics and videos for virtual trips among other topics. I would’ve preferred to have used more internet video clips, had I been exposed to the wide variety of them beforehand. If I had known about the streaming videos, at Discovery Education in particular, I would have incorporated videos from that site more frequently. They have exciting videos that span a vast array of subject matter.


There are several ways that I could incorporate video into classroom projects for my students:
1) I could have students watch an animated United Streaming video of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad for a social studies unit on slavery.


2) Show students video of foreign places that they may never get to see. These videos could be vacation videos shot by other students, myself, and/or other teachers at the school.


3) For science class we could watch videos of the weather conditions-such as snow, tornadoes, etc…


4) In an instructional support/life skills class, the students could watch a video on manners and/or etiquette.


5) For math, students can watch a video demonstration of a math problem being worked out, such as long division.


6) Students could also make videos of real life math problems. They could go out and video themselves making retail transitions at the local convenience store to demonstrate adding and subtracting when making a purchase and counting the change.


7) Students could video themselves reading for literacy improvement in Language Arts class. They could assess their own presentation style and diction.


8) We could also video class projects that the students have created for various assignments and play them at Parent Night.


Yes, indeed- videos can be a powerful tool in the classroom!