Do you use videos in your lesson plans to drive home an important point or help with memorization? If not, your classroom can seriously benefit from using YouTube. It’s a great (and easy) way to supplement your curriculum regardless of the subject you teach. Not only are there YouTube videos applicable to every subject, but teachers themselves are producing some pretty awesome YouTube channels that you don’t want to miss.
There are so many teachers putting their talents to good use on YouTube (YT), that we couldn’t possibly list them all here. But we did find some pretty great channels that you may want to plug into. You may even be thinking about starting your own YT channel… and you should! Blogging, YouTube, and Teachers Pay Teachers, are all wonderful ways to make supplemental income as an educator. You can read more on this topic by reading our post “Upgrade Your Summer Job: 9 Ideas Teachers Should Consider.”
YouTube Channels for Every Subject
(* means they are a teacher)
Math
Krista King (high school)
Krista King’s channel is super informative and very well done. She’s not a math teacher…but she is one really cool math tutor. Krista teaches at a high school level, using short but interesting math videos. Her topics include things like: linear approximation, trigonometry, Riemann sums, integrals, sketching a polar curve, and more.
Mr. R uses goofy songs, silly beats, and fun animations to help his students memorize elementary math topics. His videos are really creative… and to be honest, a bit mesmerizing. You may find yourself watching them without the kids around. The topics include counting money, multiplication facts, telling time, skip counting, etc.
Science
Professor Dave Explains (high school)*
Professor Dave is one smart guy. His teaching career has focused on organic chemistry, general chemistry, physics, and biology, and his videos do too. His channel’s topics include astronomy, the law of conservation of matter, DNA, organic reactions, etc.
This educator is an Emmy award-winning science genius who has been featured on many news stations, talk shows (Ellen), and a syndication series. Steve Spangler has earned a reputation for having crazy, amazing STEM experiments. A few of his most popular experiments are: balloon in the bottle challenge, popping Boba balls, lava lamp, diaper polymer, and exploding bubbles.
History
Tom Richey (high school)*
Tom Richey is a history-loving, AP teacher who makes US and European history more engaging with his quirky videos. His topics are geared towards older kids but could be used on younger students, depending on the topic you are covering. He covers topics like: The Divine Right of Kings, Plato’s theory, colonial America, the Whiskey Rebellion, the Civil War, the rise of Hitler, etc.
Crash Course is a conglomeration of several teachers who have put together videos on varied subjects. The history videos by John Green are great for teaching kids about U.S. history. Topics include: Quakers, Thanksgiving, taxes and smuggling, the constitution, wars, etc. They use animations to help explain different topics and points. The videos are roughly 10 – 15 minutes long.
English
Teaching Without Frills makes beautiful YouTube videos, that clearly explain many topics in language arts. Your students will appreciate the animations, as well as the easy to follow instructions. Topics include: how to write a research paper, how to retell a story, revising, brainstorming, etc. The videos are interesting, but not cheesy…which is important to mention if you’ve ever done a broad search on the topic!
One listen to a catchy educational song on Have Fun Learning and you will be hooked! These videos are not teacher-made, but they are perfect for any elementary classroom. The videos are fun to watch and the songs very well written. Topics include: grammar, sight words, letter sounds, similes, expository writing, etc.
Utilizing videos is a great way to make learning more enjoyable and to get those facts to really “stick.” They also work well as homework assignments, a break from the normal routine, and a helpful tool to keep in mind when you need a substitute. YouTube has so many great channels dedicated to teaching every subject. Don’t overlook this free resource for your classroom.
- Jenna Garvin
