Math Video Warm-Up

What is a Video Warm-Up?

I have been using video warm-ups in my classes since 2013, but yet, I don’t think anyone outside of my classroom even knows what a video warm-up is! Maybe you stumbled across Math Giraffe’s blog post on warm-ups and saw she shared my method and briefly explains how it works. Either way, I have been wanting to share this very different style of warm-up for a long time. Specifically, what are video warm-ups, how did I come up with the idea, and why are they great for any classroom.

So let’s get right down to it. A video warm-up is a way to introduce the next lesson before students come to class.

There are Two Parts to this Method

Part 1: Video

A short video that I find on YouTube that briefly explains the next day’s concept. I try to find videos that are less than 6 minutes for Algebra 2 and less than 12 minutes for Calculus. These videos are not meant to replace a lesson, but only give a small introduction to the new concept. I use many different math teachers’ videos, so the students see a variety of teachers and styles. The students are to watch the video BEFORE they come to class when the new concept is introduced.  I post the link on Google Classroom, so it’s easy for them to access. I tell my students that it requires very little of their time because the videos are short and they don’t need to take notes. Almost every teenager has a phone these days, so they can literally watch it on the bus on the way to school. It’s that simple.

Part 2: Warm-Up

A half page warm-up with one or two questions that students should be able to answer after watching the video. I usually have the warm-up printed and place it on each student’s desk before they enter the room, so they can work on it right away. We go over the warm-up together, which allows me to get a good feel for how easy or difficult this lesson is going to be for the class. It’s neat to see students get excited for the day’s lesson because they already have an idea of what they are going to learn. My struggling students LOVE the videos, as it gets them a head start on the content for the day!…but more about the benefits in another post.

Well, there you have it! Now you know of a new warm-up method that you may even want to try in your class. I’m so glad to finally get this idea out there. When people see the name “video warm-up”, I’m sure many things come to their mind. Maybe they think students watch a video as the warm-up or it’s a flipped classroom method. Well, it’s neither. I think of it as a unique and fun way to introduce a new lesson. It only requires a few minutes before class and few minutes in the beginning of class, and has awesome advantages.

More Posts on Video Warm-Ups

• How did I come up with video warm-ups?
• Why use video warm-ups?

Want to jump right in and try a video warm-up in your classroom?

Great! You can find video warm-ups HERE.