Anything worth watching can be found on YouTube. At least that’s what your students might say. So why not connect to students in a way that automatically catches their attention? Want to use a clip from a “Friends” episode that perfectly illustrates your point about accurate measurement, or maybe a snippet of “Fire Marshall Bill” to reinforce safety concepts in your shop class? Maybe you want to show a few seconds of Jurassic Park to support your lesson on DNA, or a great “How To” video clip that simplifies your lesson. YouTube can be an easy way to create a fun, technologically savvy, and engaging connection for your students.

But YouTube is blocked! I hear your frustration. Most of us can’t access this site at school - which is why I’m happy to pass on this trick to make capturing videos offline a breeze. Follow these steps and you’ll be implementing technology in an exciting new way!

• Download RealPlayer SP on your computer. This is a free media player, which can be found at http://www.real.com/
• Find a YouTube clip you like by going to www.YouTube.com.
• Right click on the video itself, and select “Download to Real Player”. The Real Player Download window will appear, showing download progress.
• Use Real Player to edit your clip so that you only have to show the most relevant portion of the video clip. Beneath your saved file, select the scissors icon to “trim” your video clip. When the trim window appears, simply click and drag the ends of the video clip to narrow down to the section you desire. Select “Save Trim” to save your edits.
• Imbed a link to your Real Player clip in a PowerPoint, or simply open Real Player and play your video selection when you are ready.

Your students will enjoy this new strategy, and you will find them making real-life connections without the pain!