It’s been a while since I posted my current favorite videos so I have quite a few to share – 14!!

Feel free to check out my previously posted favorites here.  Scroll down for the archives:  GG’s Tubular Videos

Videos to Make You Think

This video reminds us how precious every second, every moment is.  Good, bad, happy, sad, fleeting, lingering . . . we are lucky to be here living this beautiful life. (notice how each clip is somehow related to the next)

This puts everything into a humble perspective . . . .

Studying adverbs?  Here’s a very brief grammar lesson from an unlikely teacher:

Just how observant are you? Have you tried this test yet?!

This one has a surprise in the middle so be sure to watch it at least through then.  This gives new meaning to taking things in context.  I sold DK books to schools for a very short time when my daughter was a baby . . . admired the publishers then and still think they distribute great products.

A very caring person sent this to me prior to my daughter’s graduation.  The thing is, there is no such thing as an ‘ordinary day’ when you are a parent.  Life is beautiful . . . this is beautiful:

I played this on the first day of school to my reading classes.  It made the students smile, and it opened the mood to read.    I tried very hard to get my fellow literacy coaches to do a mini, live version of this with me to open up our faculty preview.  While I couldn’t talk them into it, we played the video in the background as faculty walked in.  They left smiling – music is a great motivator (next to food, of course, but food is not allowed in the auditorium)!!

Videos To Make You Dance & Sing

I absolutely, positively can’t get this out of my head.  I find myself humming the background.  Alexis Jordan is a former America’s Got Talent contestant and the boy is a new-on-the-scene USC student.  I play this song EVERY day.  Extra loving shout out to my baby niece who got excited over this song before I even knew it existed!!

Speaking of happiness, Glee is the musical phenomenon that television so desperately needed for recession recovery.  Dare I say the cast, time and again, covers songs stronger than many of the originals?!  Case in point, this goose-bump generating version makes “Faithfully” looks like it should have been a duet originally.

Check out the older picture of Sting hanging on the wall at the very beginning of this.  This is a very cool insight into the recording of Sting’s latest masterpiece, Symphonicity.  Refer to my complete review of Symphonicity:  Sting Uses Strings.

We need more of this!  Who doesn’t feel like breaking out in dance or song once in a while?! This occurred at the Central Station of Antwerp (Belgium).  The look on the people’s faces who haven’t got a clue what’s going on is priceless.   I would totally run right in and join the group!!!!  Ummm, shhhhh . . . something’s coming . . .!!!!!

Videos to Make You Laugh

This makes me laugh out loud EVERY time.  Many, many surprise appearances in here, up until the very end, so watch it all!!!

This little boy has a great memory!!  My favorite part is when he’s imitating JFK and will not let it go until he gets it right. 

I read The Art of Racing in the Rain (a story of a man and his dog) and cried hysterically by the pool this summer.  I had to put my sunglasses on and jump in the water to pretend the wet on my face was just from swimming – honest.  Anyway, this little clip attests to how adorably loving dogs are.

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Here are my current favorite videos.  There are some fabulously inspirational gems here!!  For my educational followers, most of these could certainly be used in the classroom.  For everyone, each video offers its own meaningful message and entertainment value.

This is SOOOO GOOD!!  It visually illustrates a philosophy I truly believe in and try to follow – live in the moment!!  To live in the moment means to appreciate the here and now while not dwelling over the past nor anxiously worrying about the future.  Living in the moment means being truly present with what is going on around us presently.   Here is an invitation to be nourished by what each moment of our lives brings us:

(thank you to Michele Bueston for sharing this video)

This dance troupe is amazing.  As a former stage performer and current basement dancer (ah . . . if only the fly on the wall could talk!), I wholeheartedly appreciate this group’s feats →

When my daughter was little, I used to keep a bulletin board in our garage on which I’d post newspaper/journal/magazine articles of “good” things happening in the world.  This would definitely be something I would post; it’s a reminder of the sincere goodness within humankind.  About midway through the video, you’ll know what I’m talkig about.   It will make you smile →

I opened my speech class with this one day . . . after the goosebumps subsided, the students were inspired to begin composing their own presentations. →

If you are a fan of The Office and you are a teacher, you will truly appreciate this.  This is a funny parody on teaching technology in the classroom!! →

(thank you to Larry Ferlazzo for sharing this)

Speaking of teaching, here are The Top Ten Things They Don’t Teach you About Teaching.  These hit home!!! →

Conan’s farewell speech . . . an inspirational class act all the way! →

This is a little bit older but still just as relevantly inspiring . . . how one man traded a red paper clip for a house →

Not only are the pictures breathtaking, but the communication between this man and carnivore sea beast is fascinating →

Okay, I have to end with a just-for-fun one.  My daughter sent me this link . . . she knows I’m a hopeless romantic.  I have to admit, this is a SWEET video that will make you smile from ear to ear! If you haven’t seen this yet, you just may want to →

I have so many more videos I want to share . . . ’til next time!  GG

For more of GG’s favorite videos: Tubular Videos , Tubular Too, and More Tubular Videos

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I’m in the mood for videos lately.  I sometimes use videos as an opening or closing to class, as an enhancement to a lesson, and – of course – as my own edutainment tool.  Here are the most recent videos I’ve favorited.  Enjoy ~

This is sooooo adorable – a commercial to promote the love of reading fund.  Teachers, students and all other humans everywhere will appreciate this. ~

Will Smith is one of my favorites.  This video just adds to the reasons I like him.    Show this to students for reading inspiration. ~

Thank you to a colleague at another school in my district for this video that helps put the college application process in perspective.  Show this to juniors and seniors! ~

Another inspirational video for anyone who’s in a slump! ~

Thank you to Larryferlazzo for tweeting this.  There’s so many ways you can use this . . . in film class, as an ESL supplement, etc.  This is fabulous just to watch on its own!!! ~

Wow!!  I was in 5th grade the very first time I read The Diary of Anne Frank when my mother bought me the book.  I’ve been fascinated by her story ever since . . . this is a gem of a video. ~

This reinforces my belief that activities are more apt to be successful if they are fun.  I take the stairs over escalators EVERY time (ask anyone who’s been out with me.)  We NEED this in America!! ~

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Completely and solely and utterly just-for-fun videos!!!

It pays to follow a few celebrities on Twitter.  This one was tweeted by Rainn Wilson.  Soooo funny!!

You may have seen this one already but it is adorably hysterical.  Watch his little legs kick to the song.  He’s really concentrating!!

Speaking of Put A Ring on It, this is a hysterical scene from my favorite new show, Glee!

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As promised, here are my current favorite “for fun” videos!  Most of these have been around for a while, but their appeal is universal.

(See also the videos I’m currently using in the classroom:  Tubular Videos 1)

My Favorite Fun Videos

This is my very favorite ~ it is soooo fun!!!  I actually like this idea a lot!!!  The first time I discovered this, I watched it over & over:

Speaking of funny, this is from the cast of one of my favorite shows, The Office:

This is absolutely fabulous – a real life National Geographic:

If you need a mood booster, this is it!  Excuse me, there are people I need to go hug!:

I want to know how they did this!:

Watching the rehabilitated eagle fly solo is inspiring!:

There you have it – the videos that currently make me laugh or be inspired!!  Enjoy!

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Some of my current favorite videos.  Stay tuned – On Wednesday, I’ll be posting my favorite “for fun” videos!!

Videos I’m using in the classroom RIGHT NOW

I show this to my seniors to put their academic efforts into perspective.  This is a fabulous eye-opener!!!:

This is a super easy-to-follow explanation of Google Docs . . . something I’d like my students to use to share their documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.  This YouTube site has many other great tech demos as well:

This one works well as an introduction to a reading strategies class.  It’s funny in its delivery but it has some solid tips:

This one serves as a fun reading class opener or conclusion:

I always use performance-based techniques with Shakespeare as his work was not meant to be read sitting behind a desk.  This particular technique works very well:

I will use this in speech class during our advertising/media unit.  This spawns much discussion:

This is a controversial commercial that spawns heated discussion.  (Watch at your own risk – may cause tears):

I read excerpts of Randy Paush’s The Last Lecture with my sophomores.  This is the taping of his actual last lecture – very inspirational man:

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