Bringing Concepts to Life with Simple, Adaptable Teaching Strategies

What if you could teach complex concepts, build literacy skills, and keep every student engaged, all with strategies that take less than five minutes to set up? At this year's Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC), GPB's Education Outreach Team shared adaptable, media-based teaching strategies that work across grade levels and subjects using GPB's free resources.

Pop & Drop: A Quick Strategy for Any Content Area

One of the simplest yet most effective strategies is "Pop & Drop." Here's how it works:

Choose a short video aligned to your standard (like the PBS LearningMedia video Is It Alive? for SKL1). Students "pop up" when something alive appears and "drop down" when something not alive appears. Play at 2X speed for added energy, then immediately follow with a pop-up quiz. The whole activity takes just minutes but reinforces key concepts while building listening and vocabulary skills.

Use Pop & Drop for living vs. non-living organisms, properties of objects, vocabulary recognition, or quick formative assessments across any subject.

Tabletop Texting: Building Literacy Through Video Analysis

"Tabletop Texting" transforms passive viewing into active writing practice. Students watch video segments, "text" their thoughts on a phone-inspired graphic organizer, then exchange responses with classmates, building an informal conversation around the topic. This hands-on format makes academic writing feel relevant for students who might resist traditional notetaking.

Try it with PBS Nature's Learned Behavior & Culture in Thieving Macaque Monkeys (S5L2a) to develop listening comprehension, written communication, and peer discussion skills.

Ready-to-Use Resources

Find these videos and more free at PBS LearningMedia, all standards-aligned and accessible to students, teachers, and parents.

Want to see these strategies in action? Our Education Outreach Team provides no-cost professional learning sessions. Complete our interest form to schedule.

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