6 Ways to Supercharge Science Lessons With Video

Teaching science means guiding students on journeys inside the human body, across the Arctic, and out to the edges of space. Our classrooms can’t always take kids to these places — but video can. Even though it’s been part of the classroom toolbox for decades, smart use of video still transforms how students see the world.

We asked science educators how they use video in meaningful, not “movie day,” ways. Here are six strategies you can bring into your K–8 science block tomorrow.

1. Launch inquiry with short clips.

Science starts with curiosity. The right 2–3 minutes of video can spark more authentic questions than a long lecture ever could.

Before introducing the human body systems, for instance, one teacher plays a short video on competitive breath holders. Students immediately start asking: How do they train? What’s happening inside their bodies underwater? Those questions then guide the lesson.

The key: stop the video before it explains too much. Let students’ wonder do the heavy lifting. 

2. Differentiate from the start.

Instead of giving every student the same video, try offering a menu of clips at different levels of depth.

Middle school teacher Amber Chandler suggests this approach when teaching ecosystems: Some students may need a broad introduction, while others who already know about coral reefs or the Arctic might dive into kelp forests or the twilight zone. When students return to share, the whole class benefits from the range of discoveries.

This way, video doesn’t just hook attention — it builds ownership.

3. Use video as a window into the unreachable.

Phenomena are most powerful when students can experience them. But since you can’t take your class to the Arctic to see polar bears or stand beside a calving glacier, video is the next best thing.

STEM teacher Jennifer Williams has her students watch closely with a purpose: “It’s always best to have kids involved with the phenomena, but when you can’t, video is the next best thing.” Tools like this Reflecting on the Video response worksheet help students slow down, observe details, and connect video evidence to their science notebooks.

Try the Arctic Adventures Playlist for a ready-made “expedition.”

4. Lean on video for just-in-time learning.

Sometimes science units bring us into unfamiliar territory — black holes, quantum physics, or a new climate discovery that made the headlines yesterday. When the content is fresh (or frankly, when you need a refresher yourself), video gives both you and your students direct access to experts.

Christine Royce, professor of teacher education, calls this “just-in-time learning.” For example, a clip on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity lets students hear complex ideas straight from the physicists who study them. You’re learning alongside your students, modeling how real scientists push their own understanding.

5. Keep curiosity alive — beyond the unit.

Every class has kids who aren’t ready to let go of a topic. When it’s time to move on, video can be a perfect way to extend their learning without derailing your pacing.

After a dinosaur unit ends, one teacher points students to short videos on lesser-known dinosaurs like Kimmerosaurus or Majungasaurus. Students can then use a Critic’s Review video response worksheet to share their takeaways. This keeps their spark alive while giving them a structure for self-directed learning. 

6. Flip the lens: Let students be the filmmakers.

Students don’t just have to watch videos — they can make them. After studying wetland ecosystems, Jennifer Williams’s fourth graders create their own mini-documentaries for younger grades.

They start by analyzing professional clips using a Video Analysis response worksheet, then apply what they notice — whether it’s narration, scientific explanations, or observation — to their own productions. The result? Authentic, student-driven science communication that deepens understanding and gives them an audience beyond their classroom walls.

The bottom line

Video is about expanding possibilities. Used with intention, it can spark curiosity, give every learner an entry point, and make complex ideas accessible. Whether you’re modeling inquiry, extending learning, or turning students into creators, video has a place in every science classroom.