Part+2+VIEW

View - Videos, Photos and Images
There is a seemingly endless amount of educational video content online. Just about anything you would want to teach is represented and much of the content is excellent. Let's investigate a few that you may find helpful in your classroom.


 * WatchKnow** - an Internet search engine that links teachers, students and parents to thousands of free educational videos and slide shows.


 * Explore!**
 * 1) Watch this overview video about Watchknow (scroll down, overview is on the left.)
 * 2) Searching [|WatchKnow] is straight froward once you get the hang of it. First, select the age range (3-18) using the age filter. Then, enter search term(s). Click search. Next, review results by category. The number of videos in the top-level categories are shown and change depending on the age range selected. Now, click the + (plus sign) which reveals the first level of subcategories (the number of videos listed are also dynamic based on the search) and make your selections. Again, click the + (plus sign) to move down one more level. Keep doing this until you get to the desired sub-category.
 * 3) Once you get familiar with clicking the + plus sign, sorting through this website is fairly easy. Now try finding a video for one of your curriculum units. You can watch these videos with your class directly from your computer if you have either 1) a Promethean/Smartboard, 2) you have a projector attached to your computer or 3) you go to the computer lab. Ask your tech person for help getting you set up!

Our March speaker, Richard Byrne, has compiled a list of 47 Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom. That may seem like an enormous amount but many of these sites are subject specific. For example, HULU which as videos of television shows, movies, and old news broadcasts (okay, this a great site for both educational and personal purposes!), Untamed Science which has videos and broadcasts on biology and earth science topics (save money by not having to purchase costly science videos), CNN Student News that is a daily web broadcast on topics that range from serious stories to how-to stories (how about starting the day with "what's in the news"). You will find some sites better suited to high school or higher ed, but it is still worthwhile to explore for your own intellectual engagement.

Other sites to check out are:
 * Educational Videos -
 * Snag Films - featuring full length, high quality, well known documentaries from NOVA and National Geographic as well as documentaries from independent film makers.
 * Math A Tube - exactly as the title indicates - math videos!
 * Teacher Tube and Teachers.tv - videos created for and by teachers for the classroom
 * Common Craft
 * TED

Tech Tip: Are you planning to use a youtube video with your class but are nervous about depending on the internet speed or reliability? It is simple to download the video to your computer. Check out Zamzar, an easy format converter, that allows you to download youtube videos and play them in Quicktime right from your computer.