YouTube for Schools
10 Ways to Use YouTube in the Classroom
1
Spark Lively Discussions
Engage students by showing a video relevant to their lives. Video clips can bring in different perspectives or force students to consider a new viewpoint, helping to spark a discussion. Check out this Science video as a great example.
2
Organize all the great video content you find
Playlists are YouTube's way of allowing you to organize videos on the site: a playlist is a series of videos you put together - they don't have to be videos you uploaded, and you get to choose the order. When one video ends, the playlist plays the next video without offering 'related videos', thus creating a curated environment for your students. Therefore, by creating playlists of videos you can select which YouTube videos you want your students to view. Watch the Dynamic Earth Processes playlist for a good example.
3
Archive your work
Capture and save projects and discussions so you can refer back to them year after year. This will also help you save time as you can assign old videos to your new students. For example, this teacher created a video explaining a plot diagram that she drew. Because it is video, it is archived on YouTube and can easily be shared with other teachers.
4
Allow students to dig deeper into a subject
Give students the option to dig deeper into a subject by creating a playlist of videos related to that concept. By creating playlists of relevant videos you allow students to pursue their interests without wasting their time searching for information (or finding potentially objectionable content). Here is a sample playlist a teacher created for their students on Math Story Problems.
5
Get struggling students up to speed, and push strong students ahead
Videos (or playlists) can help supplement in class teaching for struggling students. Students can review them at home time so you're not forced to teach exclusively to the middle 50%. YouTube user piazzaalexis created videos aligned with the state standards so students who needed to review a particular standard could get the help they needed. Watch it now.
6
Review for upcoming exams
Turn test review and flashcards into easy-to-watch videos. This way students can hear your explanations as they study. Watch an example of a review for a Medieval Japan test. You can also create a "test review" video students can use to study the night before the big test.
7
Create a YouTube center in your classroom
When working in stations or centers, have students use your YouTube channel to complete an assignment, freeing you up to work with small groups of students. Divide your class into groups and have them rotate through different stations. At the YouTube station, introduce students to new information, allowing you to help students practice their new found skills.
8
Create quizzes to accompany videos for instant feedback
Create a Google Form that students complete after watching a video.You can use this quiz to get instant feedback on what they're learning. Embed your quiz on a class blog or site so students can watch a video and complete the quiz at the same time. View an example of this in action.
9
Create Interactive Video Quests
Use YouTube annotations to create "Choose your own adventure" style video quests. View an example now. You can also create a video guide.
10
Flip your classroom
If your students watch a video of the basic concepts at home you can focus in class on applying those concepts, working collaboratively with their classmates rather than simply listening to you lecture. View an example now.
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Video Spotlight
Super Volcano!
How close do you live to Yellowstone?
Video Spotlight
Video Spotlight
Is it possible?
Can folding paper get you to the moon?
Video Spotlight
Video Spotlight
Worth the risk?
Start a conversation about risk vs. reward.
Video Spotlight
Video Spotlight
Big Planets
This will help put the size of the planets into context for sure!
Video Spotlight
Video Spotlight
Luke and Vader!
Elem. teachers! Mark your calendars.
Video Spotlight
Video Spotlight
Sun Energy
Where does the sun get its energy?
Video Spotlight
YouTube for Schools
Join the Global Classroom Today!
Join the Global Classroom Today!
10 Ways to Use YouTube in the Classroom
Video Spotlight
Super Volcano!
Super Volcano!
Video Spotlight
Is it possible?
Is it possible?
Video Spotlight
Worth the risk?
Worth the risk?
Video Spotlight
Big Planets
Big Planets
Video Spotlight
Luke and Vader!
Luke and Vader!
Video Spotlight
Sun Energy
Sun Energy
Why Use YouTube in your classroom?
Increase student engagement
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Free access to thousands of high quality educational videos
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Teach to every type of learner
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Use videos to lengthen in-class instructional time
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Expand your impact by reaching a larger audience
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Use the form to the right to join the YouTube Teachers Community. You'll receive regular updates (but never more than one per week) from the YouTube EDU team, including tips and tricks for incorporating YouTube in your classroom, best practices from other teachers, and great new content uploaded (or curated) on YouTube!
Create a YouTube channel so your students can easily access all your great content and playlists in one easy-to-remember destination
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For a thorough walk through of how to set-up and customize your channel please visit this page on the YouTube Help Center.
YouTube EDU Partner Mathademics also created a great tutorial showing you how to create your own channel! |
Tutorial on creating your own YouTube channel
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Sign up for your page
 Set up your profile
 Select colors and themes
 Set your background image
 Feature a video on your channel page
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When you upload a video, you can choose who sees it
To learn about privacy on YouTube (including exactly how to set your video as each and then share with friends or students), visit here.
Private
If you would like to limit the exposure of one of your videos, you can set it to be a Private video. If your video is set to Private, only you and up to 50 other users whom you invite to view the video will be able to see it. The video will not appear on your channel in Groups, search results, playlists, etc.
Unlisted
Unlisted means that only people who have a link to the video can view it (such as friends or family to whom you send the link). An unlisted video will not appear in any of YouTube's public spaces (such as search results, your channel or the Browse page). It's different from a private video in that you don't need a YouTube account to watch the video (you can see an unlisted video if someone sends you the video's link) and there's no 50-person sharing limit.
Public
Public videos are discoverable by anyone on YouTube. You will be helping students and teachers who turn to YouTube to search for answers to their educational questions.
Types of videos you can create
Screencasting
- Teacher and FlipTeaching expert Ramsey Musallam recently spoke about the educational potential of screencasting at the YouTube Teacher's Studio. Watch his presentation here.
- As Ramsey explains, there are a lot of different ways you can use screencasts:
- You can create a basic video by simply recording what's on your screen as you narrate over it.
- You can use a pen tool to write over your presentation.
- There are a number of free services for screencasting - check out "Tools for Creating Videos" to learn more.
- Watch examples of screencasts below:
Live
- Record direct instruction, lecture or discussion.
- Use a webcam to efficiently record videos to share with your students, so they (and future students) can watch on their own time.
- Interview a student or guest.
Animated
- You can use free online animation tools to present a concept in a new (and often funny) way.
- Visit YouTube.com/Create to find these free tools:
- GoAnimate
- Xtranormal
Student created videos
- Have students use one of the above methods to create a video of their own.
- Asking students to create videos can turn a simple classroom presentation into an exciting project that codifies the learning experience.
- Your students will be able to keep the final project forever.
Video Production Tips
Jim Sill, an award-winning CUE presenter, recently presented to a group of teachers on "Finding Your Inner Spielberg!". Watch the video here or read his tips / tricks below. To learn more, visit the YouTube Creator Hub to watch hundreds of videos about creating the best videos possible.
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LightingLighting makes a big difference! It is important to learn the basics. Start with 3 point lighting:
- Key light: in front of the subject and just off to the side. It is the primary source of light in the set up.
- Fill light: not nearly as bright as the key and set up in front of the subject and opposite of the key. It serves to "fill" in the shadows created by the key.
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The back light: positioned above and behind the subject. Separates the subject from the background.
- No lights, no problem. Avoid the back light by placing your subject in front of a darker background. Overpowering light behind the subject can cause real problems with amateur video cameras. These cameras typically compensate for the brightest light coming into the lens. If there is too much light behind the subject, the result is a dark subject. To fix it, move the subject so that the bright light is at an angle to the subject. Placing the subject with the brightest light in front of them may cause them to look "flat".
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Bounce the light: Another way to brighten your subject or fill in shadows is to bounce light using a reflector board. You can buy them or simply use a white board like styrofoam, cardboard or foil.
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Green-screen
- Lighting your green screen is one of the most difficult parts of shooting with one. You not only have to light your subject correctly, but you also have to light the screen correctly.
- The objective of lighting a green screen is to light it evenly making it one solid color of green. Too little can result in shadows and/or hotspots. The result is that your editing program may not be able to remove the color completely.
- It is important to light the screen from both sides with soft lights. This avoids one big hot spot on the screen.
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It is important to place your subject far enough away from the screen to avoid making shadows. Also, if you are using a camera with adjustable focus, you may be able to defocus the screen. This helps even out any uneven lighting of the green screen.
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Audio Tips
- It is difficult to get great audio with the microphone of a basic camera. These microphones pic up all the sound around the camera. This results in wind noise, ambient hissing, and sound occurring in the area. If you can, try to control the noise in the area and only shoot your subject up close in dialog scenes. If needed, you can shoot a second wide shot later using the original sound.
- It is always a good idea to record a minute of ambient sound from every location. You might need to add the sound to a shot in post production in order to round out the clip.
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Getting great audio is easy with a few tools and minimal cost. Two things that are worth the money are a boom mic, a microphone that is attached to a pole, and a lavaliere microphone, a wired or wireless microphone that attaches to a shirt or jacket. When used correctly, these two microphones can give you the professional sound you are looking for.
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CASE STUDY
- YouTube user Blackwelder led a professional development for teachers showing them how to create videos and upload them to YouTube!
Watch Part 1
Watch Part 2
- YouTube user Blackwelder led a professional development for teachers showing them how to create videos and upload them to YouTube!
Tools for creating videos
Screencasting Hardware
Tablets:
Tablets are perfect for annotating documents, writing on digital maps or working through math or science equations.
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Bamboo Writing Tablet
Learn More -
DigiPro Tablet
Learn More
Screencasting Software
Screencasting software enables you to easily record what's on your computer screen. When you give a presentation, use examples in a text, or work through questions on your SmartBoard, you can use screencasting software to create a video recording of your lesson and share it with future students.
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Web-based application:
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Jing
The free vesion of Jing is great for recording videos that are less than five minutes. More options are available by upgrading to the pro version.
Learn More -
Screencast-o-matic
Really simple one-click screencasting. Perfect for quickly recording a screencast and uploading directly to YouTube. More tools and options are available by upgrading to the pro version.
Learn More
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Software for Apple Users:
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Screenflow
Screenflow allows for higher quality video production and has tools to allow for greater customization.
Learn More -
OSX Lion
OSX Lion comes with and includes screencasting capablities.
Learn More
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Software for PC Users:
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Camtasia
Camtasia allows for higher quality video production and has tools to allow for greater customization.
Try out Camtasia Studio free for 30 days and see if it works for you.
Learn More
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For information on other tools and screencasting tips visit flipteaching.com
Video Editors
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YouTube Editor
Edit your videos from directly within YouTube.
Learn More - Both Windows and Apple computers have great software for editing your videos.
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Windows Live Movie Maker
Learn More -
iMovie
Learn More
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10 Ways to Use YouTube in Your Classroom
1. Spark lively discussions
- Engage students by showing a video relevant to their lives. Video clips can bring in different perspectives or force students to consider a new viewpoint, helping to spark a discussion.
Through video you can keep class exciting and new. Students will be eager to talk about chemical reactions after seeing this video.
-
YouTube user NatalieKChhim has 10 tips for facilitating a classroom discussion.
Skill Level: Beginner
2. Organize all the great video content you find
- Playlists are YouTube's way of allowing you to organize videos on the site: a playlist is a series of videos you put together - they don't have to be videos you uploaded, and you get to choose the order.
- When one video ends, the playlist plays the next video without offering 'related videos', thus creating a curated environment for your students.
- Therefore, by creating playlists of videos you can select which YouTube videos you want your students to view.
- Playlists live on your channel, are discoverable in search results (if you want them to be), and can be embedded on your blog or class site.
- Create a playlist of videos for each school unit so students can review them when looking to learn more about a topic or need to review for an upcoming assessment.
- Great playlists include videos that...
- Hook your students into a lesson.
- Provide real-world context for lessons.
- Help provide cultural relevance for your students.
- Provide remediation for concepts yet mastered.
- Provide alternative viewpoints.
- Provide visual context (chemical reactions, primary source videos).
- Review previously taught content.
- Examples
Dynamic Earth Processes Pythagorean Theorem Vietnam War Math Story Problems
Skill Level: Beginner
3. Archive your work
- Capture and save projects and discussions so you can refer back to them year after year. This will also help you save time as you can assign old videos to your new students.
-
For example, this teacher created a video explaining a plot diagram that she drew. Because it is a video, it is archived on YouTube and can easily be shared with other teachers.
- Record critical parts of your lesson so you can review how you taught that lesson in previous years.
- When absent students ask what they missed, send them a link to the video and they'll never fall behind.
- You can even customize who sees your videos by adjusting the privacy settings.
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Use this great video to learn how to privately share videos with other YouTube users
Skill Level: Beginner
4. Allow students to dig deeper into a subject
- Give students the option to dig deeper into a subject by creating a playlist of videos related to that concept.
- By creating playlists of relevant videos you allow students to pursue their interests without wasting their time searching for information (or finding potentially objectionable content).
- Here are some example playlists teachers created for their students: Math Story Problems Cell Structure and Function African American Civil Rights in the United States Create a playlist of primary source video content for a history topic you're teaching.
- Watch this video to learn how to make a playlist in YouTube
Skill Level: Beginner
5. Get struggling students up to speed, and push strong students ahead
- Videos (or playlists) can help supplement in class teaching for struggling students. Students can review them at home so you're not forced to teach exclusively to the middle 50%.
-
YouTube user piazzaalexis uses videos like this to address misunderstandings and allow his students to review difficult concepts.
Skill Level: Beginner
6. Review for upcoming exams
- Turn test review and flashcards into easy-to-watch videos so students can hear your explanations as they study.
-
Students used this video to review for an upcoming test on medieval Japan.
- Create a "test review" video students can use to study the night before the big test.
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YouTube user SpaceRighteous uses video to review past exams with his students.
Skill Level: Intermediate
7. Create a YouTube center in your classroom
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When working in stations or centers, have students use your YouTube channel to complete an assignment, freeing you up to work with small groups of students.
- Divide your class into groups and have them rotate through different stations. At the YouTube station, introduce students to new information, allowing you to help students practice their newfound skills.
-
Use this video to learn more about creating classroom centers. The teachers uses literacy centers as an example.
Skill Level: Intermediate
8. Create quizzes to accompany videos for instant feedback
- Create a Google Form that students complete after watching a video.
- You can use this quiz to get instant feedback on what they're learning.
-
Embed your quiz on a class blog or site so students can watch a video and complete the quiz at the same time.
- YouTube user maxclassroom creates math videos for his students and has them complete their work online using Google Forms.
View Example - To learn how to create quizzes using Google Forms click here.
Skill Level: Intermediate
9. Create interactive video quests
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Use YouTube annotations to create "Choose your own adventure" style video quests.
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You can also create a video guide. This example guides students to different videos about chemical reactions.
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This video explains how to add annotations to your videos.
- Learn more about annotations here.
Skill Level: Advanced
10. Flip your classroom
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If your students watch a video of the basic concepts at home you can focus in class on applying those concepts, working collaboratively with their classmates rather than simply listening to you lecture.
- YouTube user Rmusallam asks his students to prepare for class by watching the introduction to new material at home. That way when they arrive at school they're ready to apply their learning. Through this method he has dramatically increased his instructional time. If you want to learn more about Rmusallam's methods visit flipteaching.com or watch the video.
- Watch this video to learn more about the flipped classroom
Skill Level: Advanced
Educate, engage and inspire your students with video!
Over the last year we have worked hard to make YouTube's educational section, YouTube EDU, a valuable resource for schools. Now, to fulfill a longstanding request from educators, we're launching YouTube for Schools, an easy way for schools to access educational videos while restricting access to other content. YouTube for Schools is:
- Comprehensive: Access over 500,000 free videos from over 700 YouTube EDU partners. These partners range from well-known educational organizations like Stanford, TED and PBS to up-and-coming YouTube partners with millions of views, like Khan Academy, Steve Spangler Science, and Numberphile.
- School-appropriate: Students can only access YouTube EDU videos. Related videos and comments are disabled.
- Customizable: Administrators and teachers can log-in and get full access to YouTube. They can also add videos that will be viewable only within your school's network.
Signing up for YouTube for Schools is easy: visit YouTube.com/Schools today!
Spend more time teaching, less time searching
YouTube.com/Teachers was created to help teachers use educational YouTube videos to educate, engage and inspire their students. We know how busy teachers can be so we've worked with a group of teachers to put together playlists of partner videos that align with common core standards.
We also want to hear from you: what videos do you use to teach? Please submit a playlist of videos that aligns with a given standard. We look forward to seeing what you submit!
We also want to hear from you: what videos do you use to teach? Please submit a playlist of videos that aligns with a given standard. We look forward to seeing what you submit!
Select a topic below to find playlists of educationally relevant videos
Elementary
Maps, Geography and Timelines
United States
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School
Cold War
Economics & Policy
Government
International
Other
United States Civil Rights
World War
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Select a topic below to find playlists of educationally relevant videos
Elementary
Earth and Space Science
History of Nature and Science
Physical Science
Science and Technology
Science as Inquiry
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Middle School
Earth and Space Science
History of Nature and Science
Physical Science
Science and Technology
Science as Inquiry
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School
Earth and Space Science
History and Nature of Science
Life Science
Physical Science
Science and Technology
Science as Inquriry
Science in Personal and Social Perspective
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Select a topic below to find playlists of educationally relevant videos
Elementary
Reading: Foundational Skills
Reading: Information Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking & Listening
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Middle School
Reading Informational Text
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking & Listening
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking and Listening
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Select a topic below to find playlists of educationally relevant videos
Elementary
Counting & Cardinality
Geometry
Measurement & Data
Number & Operations - Fractions
Number & Operations in Base Ten
Operations & Algebraic Thinking
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Middle School
Expressions & Equations
Functions
Geometry
Ratios & Proportional Relationships
Statistics & Probability
The Number System
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School: Algebra
Arithmetic with Polynomials & Rational Expressions
Creating Equations
Reasoning with Equations & Inequalities
Seeing Structure in Expressions
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School: Functions
Building Functions
Interpreting Functions
Linear, Quadratic, & Exponential Models
Trigonometric Functions
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School: Geometry
Expression Geometric Properties with Equations
Geometric Measurement and Dimension
Modeling with Geometry
Similarity, Right Triangles, & Trigonometry
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School: Number and Quantity
The Complex Number System
The Real Number System
Vector & Matrix Quantities
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
High School: Statistics & Probability
Conditional Probability & the Rules of Probability
Interpreting Categorical & Quantitative Data
Making Inferences & Justifying Conclusions
Using Probability to Make Decisions
Do you have a topic or playlist of your own add? Submit it here!
Suggest a Channel or Playlist to be Included in YouTube EDU
YouTube EDU, the library of content available through YouTube for Schools, includes over 500,000 high quality educational videos from over 600 partners. These partners include educational institutions like Harvard and Stanford, education-oriented organizations like TED and PBS, and fast-growing YouTube channels with millions of views, like Khan Academy, Steve Spangler Science, and numberphile.
We'd love your help identifying YouTube partners who upload high quality educational content. Requirements for channels to be included in YouTube EDU are:
If you'd like to submit a partner for review please use this form. The YouTube EDU team reviews these suggestions periodically and will notify you if your channel is added to YouTube EDU.
In addition to adding channels, we also worked with a group of teachers to curate playlists of partner videos that align with common educational standards. These playlists are featured on YouTube for Teachers and are also available through YouTube for Schools.
Playlists allow users to organize videos and choose the order they're shown. Great educational playlists include a diversity of videos that...
To learn how to create playlists, click here and then suggest your playlist using the form on the right.
We'd love your help identifying YouTube partners who upload high quality educational content. Requirements for channels to be included in YouTube EDU are:
- The channel must be a YouTube Partner. If you are not yet a partner but are interested in joining YouTube EDU, you can apply for partnership here.
- The channel's intent must be primarily educational.
If you'd like to submit a partner for review please use this form. The YouTube EDU team reviews these suggestions periodically and will notify you if your channel is added to YouTube EDU.
In addition to adding channels, we also worked with a group of teachers to curate playlists of partner videos that align with common educational standards. These playlists are featured on YouTube for Teachers and are also available through YouTube for Schools.
Playlists allow users to organize videos and choose the order they're shown. Great educational playlists include a diversity of videos that...
- explain the basics of a concept
- hook students into a lesson
- provide real world context or cultural relevance
- bring a concept to life (chemical reactions, primary source video)
To learn how to create playlists, click here and then suggest your playlist using the form on the right.
Here are some examples of quality educational playlists:
Dynamic Earth Processes
Dividing Fractions
Math Story Problems
Cuban Missle Crisis
Similies and Metaphors
The Digestive System
