This post was written by a new member of the ClassHook team, Justin Ragolia.

The magic of the worldwide academic and teaching community stems partly from the endless amounts of learning to be gained in collaboration between educators. Whether it amounts to a simple trick to teach math or a complete philosophical overhaul, following cues from other academics and educators alike is paramount to the improvement of teaching techniques and the boosting of student engagement. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of the top ten most popular clips among users on our website, with the intent to uncover the types of clips teachers have found most helpful for connecting with students and inspiring them to learn.

 

1. Futurama: Global Warming – None Like it Hot!

In this clip from Matt Groening’s cheeky futuristic favorite, we’re given a creative take on the effects of global warming on our planet, highlighting that greenhouse gasses are the real culprits. Groening also gives us some subtle satirical commentary on the way leading politicians have handled the issue of climate change, and stresses the temporary nature of large-scale solutions thus far.

 

2. Mr. Bean: Chemistry Experiment

In this clip, the bumbling (but curious!) Mr. Bean learns that chemistry is a delicate art, and ought to not be tampered with in absence of the necessary expertise and safety precautions. Unfortunately for him, as well as an adorable future scientist, Mr. Bean’s little experiment does not end as intended. Curiosity indeed killed the cat.

 

3. Despicable Me: Replacing a Light Bulb

Our whimsically determined Minions exemplify the importance of teamwork by finding a creative solution to a burnt-out lightbulb, and one chiding Minion learns the importance of open-mindedness and group support, the hard way.

 

4. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Will Smith Studies the Periodic Table

Every student is familiar with the dreadful process of futilely trying to memorize the Periodic Table, yet an instinctual knowledge of earth’s elements is essential to many scientific professions. In this clip, Will tries his hand at creating a method to increase his retention of the elements, in classic Fresh Prince style.

 

5. Stand and Deliver: Finger Math

Teaching multiplication tables offers endless opportunities for creativity in the name of making math simpler. In this clip from Stand and Deliver, Mr. Escalante teaches a not-so-enthused student a simple way to use his hands to multiply by nine. Though the student obviously doesn’t love math, you can bet that he won’t be forgetting this lesson anytime soon.

 

6. The Big Bang Theory: Back To The Future Grammar

In this clip, our favorite squabbling geniuses reveal that “to have” is quite possibly the trickiest verb in English grammar. This is because its present, past, and future participle forms are a grey web of confusion, especially in rare occasions when it is necessary to talk about the past and the future at the same time. Discussing Back to the Future presents a whimsical opportunity for this grammar processing to unfold.

 

7. The Blind Side: Language Arts

Courage and honor are two of the most emphasized virtues in both classical and modern philosophy, and as Michael Oher finds in this clip, are both necessary for leaders, i.e. coaches or generals, and subjects, their players and soldiers. This is revealed to him through the words of poet Alfred Lord Tennyson in his work, The Charge of the Light Brigade, and its appropriated relevance on the football field, where Michael truly shines.

 

8. Big Hero 6: Nerd Lab

Chemical metal embrittlement describes the process under which certain ductile metals experience drastic loss in tensile ductility or undergo—wait, we don’t have any idea what any of that actually means, and we don’t blame you for not following along either. Luckily for us, wacky scientist Honey Lemon can illustrate this phenomenon for us in a quirky (and slightly more engaging) manner. Enjoy!

 

9. The Office: The Books Don’t Balance

In this clip from The Office, Kevin and Oscar attempt to track down a missing slice of Dunder Mifflin’s monthly budget and discover that perhaps Angela has something to hide, as well as something to learn about workplace responsibility and accounting ethics.

 

10. The Simpsons: Homer’s Evolution

It seems as though scientists and researchers discover a new piece of humanity’s evolutionary puzzle on a weekly basis. But the one thing the community is completely unanimous on? Homer Simpson’s ability to hold our attention and keep us chuckling, even when used to explain impossibly complex concepts.

 

What do you think about our ten most popular clips? Let us know in the comments, or share your ideas on our website.