Generation Genius: Engaging Science Lessons for Grades 3-5
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If you’re looking for an engaging, fun, hands-on way to supplement your upper elementary science lessons or a fantastic spine for building on, you have got to check out Generation Genius.
These elementary-level science videos featuring Dr. Jeff Vinokur, The Dancing Scientist, will capture your kids’ attention and make learning fun.
What Is Generation Genius?
Generation Genius is a subscription video streaming service that focuses on science topics for kids in grades 3-5 and presents them in an engaging, easy-to-understand way. And, the videos aren’t just entertaining for kids. While there is plenty of kid-friendly silliness the may elicit some eye-rolling from parents, the topics and their presentation are interesting for all ages.
I sat and watched three videos in a row with no kids anywhere in sight. (Yes, I learned stuff.)
Each video is about 12 minutes long and focuses on a specific topic such as:
- Chemical and physical changes
- Variation of traits
- The moon and its phases
- Animal and plant life cycles
- The structure of living things
- Food webs
- The sun and other stars
In fact, the Generation Genius videos cover all of the Next Generation Science Standards. I know a lot of homeschooling families won’t necessarily care about that statistic, but I wanted to include it because it tells me that if you’re covering a topic in your science lessons, there’s probably a Generation Genius lesson to go with it.
And, I say “lesson” rather than “video” because Generation Genius is much more than just a collection of videos.
Science Lessons for Grades 3-5
Each Generation Genius video lesson introduces a concept then explains it through related demonstrations. The demonstration is followed by a real-world segment which relates the lesson’s concept to real-world applications and a DIY segment which is a related hands-on activity that kids can do at home.
Each video also includes lesson materials for the video’s topic. Lesson materials include:
- An overview of learning objectives
- Discussion questions
- Vocabulary
- DIY activity guide
- Lesson plan
- Teacher guide
- Quiz (not available in individual subscription)
Generation Genius is secular so Christian families may wish to preview the videos to identify talking points or determine suitability for your children.
How to Use Generation Genius
The Generation Genius site states that it is intended to be a supplemental resource for teaching science. It would be fantastic for viewing videos (and doing the activities) on topics as they come up in your science lessons.
Generation Genius will also make a useful resource for families who are a bit more eclectic and interest-led because the videos, lesson plans, and activities create a fantastic jumping-off point for further research and discussion.
If you’ve got kids in grades 3-5, check out Generation Genius! There is a sample video lesson on the homepage so you can watch the video and view all the lesson materials that go with it. Currently, there are 36 video lessons in total – enough for the whole school year!
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Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.