How to Assign Video Lessons: 4 Easy Ways

Whether you are teaching virtually, face-to-face, or in a hybrid model, video lessons are a great way to share engaging content with students.

Sending your class a link to a video on YouTube sounds simple but that’s likely not all you want to send them, right? You may also want to send learning goals, instructions, reflection questions, or independent work prompts all at the same time. 

Below are 4 ways to assign video lessons to elementary students that will allow them to access learning material in an easy and organized way!

1. Seesaw

First let's talk about Seesaw! Seesaw is a platform for student engagement that lets you easily assign video lessons and collect responses virtually. 

We’ve added Kodable video lessons to Seesaw for you to use, or you can share your own video links with students. 

How to Assign Video Lessons with Seesaw:

Pre-req: Set up a free teacher account with Seesaw and add your class

1. Find a video you want to assign to students and copy its URL
2. Log into Seesaw and click the green "Add" button
3. Select "Assign Activity"
4. "Create New Activity"
5. Fill in the title and details for the activity, including any instructions you students to follow
6. Click "Add template for student responses" and choose "Link"
7. Paste the URL to the video in the space provided and click the green check mark next to the URL field
8. Click the green check mark in the upper right hand corner
9. Hit "Save"
10. Click “Assign” and students will be able to watch the video and complete the activity!

2. Edpuzzle

Next up is Edpuzzle. Edpuzzle is a web-based video sharing and formative assessment tool that lets you crop existing online videos and add content to target specific learning objectives.

Edpuzzle is a great option if you want to take an existing video lesson, like a Kodable Coding Mission, and add prompts, questions, or tips throughout to scaffold student learning.  

How to Assign Video Lessons with Edpuzzle:

Pre-req: Set up a free teacher account with EdPuzzle

1. Find a video you want to assign to students and copy its URL
2. Log into your Edpuzzle account and click "My Content"
3. Click the "Create" button and select "New Video"
4. Click the YouTube icon from left-side menu
5. Paste the video URL into the search bar and select the video
6. Edit the video if you choose using Edpuzzle editing features. You can add multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, or notes for instructions throughout the video!
7. Click "Save", then "Finish"
8. If you have Edpuzzle classes set up, you can click "Assign" to share the video with students. Or, click "Share" and copy the URL to get a direct link to your Edpuzzle video without needing student accounts. 

3. Google Forms

You’ve probably used Google Forms to create or take a survey, but did you know they are also a super convenient way to package a virtual lesson?

You can post instructions, embed videos, and pose multiple choice or open-ended response questions for students to fill out. All your learners’ responses will compile in an easily-exported spreadsheet. 

How to Assign Video Lessons with Google Forms:

Pre-req: You’ll need a free Gmail account to create Google Forms. 

1. Find a video you want to assign to students and copy its URL
2. Open Google Drive and create a new Form
3. Add a title and type out any activity instructions or learning goals
4. Click the "+" button on the right side to add a new question
5. Click the "add video" icon
6. Paste your URL into the search bar and select the video
7. Write a title or prompt to go with the video (e.g. As you watch the video, think about these 3 things...)
8. Add other videos the same way, or ask follow up questions to check for understanding
9. Be sure to set your sharing preference so students can view and complete the form
10. Send the Form link to students via a class page or email

4. Kodable

Finally, Kodable is a complete K-5 curriculum that teaches kids to code at home or school using fun interactive games.

At Kodable, we’ve been thinking a lot about how we can make life easier for teachers during this stressful period of virtual and/or hybrid learning. With this in mind, we recently made it possible for you to assign video lessons directly from your dashboard to your students’ game profiles. 

Your students can now view any Kodable video lesson directly from the game, whether they are face-to-face with you in the classroom or tuning in virtually from home.

How to Assign Video Lessons with Kodable

Pre-req: Set up a free teacher Kodable account and add your class

1. Log in to your Kodable teacher dashboard
2. Select "Videos" on the left-side menu
3. Choose a video lesson, like the Fuzz-tastic Costume Mission 
4. Click “Assign to Students" and choose your class(es) 
5. Invite your students log in to Kodable and click the "Videos" button - the videos lessons will show up in the order you assigned them! 

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