Thing 12: Discovering and Using YouTube

I have used YouTube in the past to find videos for lessons, but I am never really 100% happy with the video choices that appear. I think that YouTube has great resources, but sometimes I wish the videos were of better quality and could be longer. I often have to refine my search several times before I find exactly what I want in a video for a lesson. At the same time though, I have found a lot of great videos that I have used in the past on YouTube and I would still recommend it as a resource for teachers. Teachers can still use parts of YouTube videos to create a TEASe like we did in Applications of Technology. Teachers just need to look closely at the videos they find and verify that they are reliable when using YouTube.

I chose a video about the last space launch conducted by NASA because I think it is a critical part of history. I have always loved the space program and I will definitely share its history with my future students. This video is neat because students can hear the people at the launch pad talking about the shuttle as it progresses into the sky. Students also get a first hand look at watching the process of the space shuttle taking off. Some of the terminology is higher level, but I think elementary students would still enjoy watching the video and talking about what is taking place.
NASA Video: Space shuttle Endeavour final launch