It's difficult to engage students in the classroom these days. Students are often overwhelmed, checked out, or disengaged. This is a common challenge that many teachers struggle to overcome.

However, with each new day comes the opportunity to grab your students' attention, and get them excited about an upcoming lesson.

Today I'm sharing some tools that are sure to engage your students, and get them excited about learning. We'll explore how you can use video clips to pique the interest of your students, and get them interested in your lesson plans. Students today love online media, and these video sites are both educational, and entertaining. It's a win-win!

Along with a brief description of each site, I've included a complimentary video tutorial to walk you step-by-step through the basics. This makes it simple to see which video site might be right for your students, and helps you gets started.

Each website is showcased on a new page, so remember to click through below each image to find the tool. Your favorite tool waits for you - go ahead and get started! :)

TedEd is full of videos, lessons, and information specifically designed for classroom use.

I love the variety of topics and resources available at TedEd. Art, Health, Science, Social Studies - there is something for everyone available on this site.

In addition to the video itself, you'll find multiple choice quiz questions, discussion questions, and more ideas to help integrate each video into your lessons.

Overall, TedEd is a great place to start when it comes to helping students make connections between classroom learning and the real world.

Let's take a look at another video resource from a top-notch institution, click to the next page to see more.

The Smithsonian Channel is a favorite video resource for many educators.

When you're kicking off a new lesson on a period of history, sometimes you want to get students thinking creatively. Have them ask themselves, "What if this event never occurred?" or "What if this individual was never born?". These Smithsonian videos are a perfect way to prompt students to ask deeper questions about a historical event or period.

Watch the video above to discover how you can search for videos on either the Smithsonian Channel website, or YouTube.

Next, we'll look at another video channel, this one a but more cutting edge.

Discovery Channel has many free resources available for use in the classroom. Geography, science, career - there are resources for many subject areas.

Along with video clips and episodes, Discovery also offers 360 degree views and Virtual Reality clips as an alternative way to allow students to explore the world.

Overall, Discovery Channel is an effective way to expose students to other ways of life, and hear real-life stories from other people from different backgrounds.

Coming up, we'll explore a source for funky video clips that engage students with not just images, but music as well.

Flocabulary helps students master new topics by infusing hip-hop songs and videos with academic content.

Flocabulary videos are available via a school subscription, a free trial, or samples on their main website and YouTube channels. Whether or not you ultimately decide to purchase a subscription to this site, it's worth checking out and looking around for video clips for your students.

Along with each video clip, Flocabulary also provides a review, lyrics, printable activities, quizzes, teacher guides, and more. These supporting materials make a huge difference when you're integrating these videos into your lesson plans. All in all, the process is seamless and you'll save time having it all at your fingertips.

These are my favorite ways to find video clips for students. Scroll down and take a look below for some additional resources on video in the classroom.