Let’s face it – everyone loves a great movie day! But we’ve all been there: without proper planning, students can disengage and treat it like free time. Then, you’re stuck managing behavior instead of making the most of your instructional time.
Don’t worry! You can transform STEM movies into powerful learning experiences by following these proven strategies.
Want to skip straight to the ready-made movie guides?
Yes, please!7 Game-Changing Tips for Using STEM Movies in Your Classroom

1. Choose STEM Movies That Spark Curriculum Connections
When you’re exhausted and need a breather, it’s tempting to play any popular movie that students will enjoy. But here’s the thing – when we do this, we’re missing out on an incredible teaching opportunity!
Strategic movie selection can give you that much-needed break while keeping students immersed in learning. Look for STEM movies that naturally connect to your current unit or upcoming concepts.
The best part is your students won’t even realize how much they’re learning because they’re so engaged in the story!
2. Use Movie Guides With Clear Learning Objectives
One of the best things you can do to keep your students on task and focused during a movie day is finding or creating a movie guide that will help your students focus on the important concepts in the movie and make connections to the STEM concepts.
The secret to an effective movie guide is focusing on the larger themes and take-aways in the film rather than making sure the students are paying attention to every small detail. Think big picture – what do you really want students to remember weeks after watching? These are the concepts your guide should emphasize.
Thinking that sounds like a lot of work? You’re in luck because I have ready-to-go movie guides created just for STEM teachers!
Take me to the movie guides!
3. Set the Stage with a Pre-Movie Discussion
Don’t jump right to pressing play! Instead, take a few minutes at the beginning of class to get students thinking about the topic and themes they will see in the movie.
You can engage them in discussions about common misconceptions or real-world experiences they may have had with the topic. This pre-movie investment will get your students wanting to know more and set the tone for a focused movie day rather than a free period.
Consider asking thought-provoking questions like “What do you already know about this topic?” or “What real-world problems might this connect to?”
4. Jump-Start Engagement With Early Question Prompts
I find that it is super helpful for me to pay attention during the first 10 minutes or so of the movie and prompt my students to answer the first few questions on their movie guide.
This shows students that you are serious about them completing the assignment and helps kids who get wrapped up in the plot remember they have something to do besides enjoying the movie.
After a couple of prompts, my students usually get the hang of it, and then I can turn my attention to whatever else I need to do during that period.

5. Use Popcorn or Another Tasty Treat as an Incentive
This is another great strategy for motivating students to stay on task and model good movie etiquette.
Bring a treat for the class, but don’t pass it out until students are demonstrating the behavior you want. I usually tell students up front that when the room is quiet and everyone is working on their movie guide, I will pass out a snack.
I don’t ever use food punitively. Everyone who wants it, gets it when the whole class is doing the right thing. This strategy has worked wonders for me, keeping kids quiet and focused during movie days. In fact, I probably should have made this tip #1.
6. Give Students an Opportunity to Collaborate After the Movie
Some students get anxious about missing an answer on the movie guide. I usually tell them that I will give them time to work with a partner after the movie to get help with any questions they missed.
This simple promise is enough to take the pressure off and help students focus on getting done what they can rather than fixating on missing question #6 and then missing questions 7, 8, 9, and 10.
Plus, the post-movie discussions that emerge during this collaboration time often lead to deeper understanding and memorable connections to the content.

7. Reinforce Learning With Strategic Follow-Up Activities
To really drive home the idea that STEM movies are part of student learning, you can follow up the film with activities that build on the movie themes and concepts.
The possibilities are endless: have students research a topic more in-depth, create related diagrams, or reflect on meaningful quotes from the film. These extension activities help cement the connection between entertainment and education, making the movie experience more than just a passive viewing session.
Consider having students create their own problems based on the movie’s concepts or design solutions to challenges presented in the film.
Transform Your Movie Days With Ready-to-Go STEM Movie Guides!
Stop spending hours creating materials – I’ve done the work for you! My comprehensive collection of STEM Movie Guides is designed to make your life easier while maximizing student learning.

Here’s what makes these guides special:
- Both printable AND digital versions included
- Carefully crafted before, during, and after viewing questions
- Aligned with curriculum standards
- Tested and approved by real teachers
- Perfect for substitute teacher days
With these done-for-you STEM Movie Guides, you can finally:
- Catch up on grading
- Hold student conferences
- Build relationships with your class
- Take that much-needed personal day
- All while knowing your students are truly learning!
Each guide is crafted with care to ensure your students stay engaged and learning throughout the entire movie experience. Don’t let another movie day go to waste – grab these resources and transform your classroom viewing into powerful learning opportunities!
Ready to revolutionize your classroom movie days? Check out the complete collection of STEM Movie Guides in my store.
See all the movie guides on TPT
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