STEM Movies You Don’t Want to Miss

Looking for a fun and creative way to bring STEM movies into your classroom? I’ve found the perfect resource for you! STEM can sometimes feel a little intimidating or abstract for our students and for ourselves while teaching. Movies and TV shows have a magical way of making these subjects relatable and exciting. I recently stumbled upon this incredible STEM TV & Movie Guide from Octane Seating, and I couldn’t wait to share it with you!

This guide is packed with engaging films and series to excite your students about STEM. And. . . there are options for kids of all ages. Whether you’re introducing a new topic or just want to inspire curiosity, these movies are a perfect way to bring those real-world connections into the classroom. Let’s dive into some of my favorite STEM movies and how you can use them to make STEM lessons fun and interactive.

Why STEM Movies Work So Well In The Classroom

1. STEM Movies Make STEM Concepts More Relatable

STEM topics can feel a bit disconnected from our students’ everyday lives. Movies and TV shows help bridge that gap. When students watch STEM movies like The Martian, they see how science, math, and engineering are used in real-world scenarios. Suddenly, those abstract concepts feel more meaningful and relevant.

2. Engage Different Learning Styles

Not all of our students learn best from lectures or textbooks. Movies and TV shows offer a visual and auditory learning experience that can resonate with our students who might struggle in traditional settings. Plus, it’s just more fun!

3. STEM Movies Encourage Critical Thinking

STEM movies often center around characters solving complex problems. That could be figuring out how to survive on Mars or decoding secret messages during WWII. Watching these challenges unfold encourages our students to think critically and develop their own solutions.

4. They Spark Creativity

Movies like Back to the Future are full of imaginative ideas and futuristic inventions. These stories inspire our students to think outside the box and imagine what kinds of technology or solutions they might create one day. It’s a great way to encourage innovation in the classroom.

How I Use STEM Movies in My Classroom

I love using STEM movies as a way to introduce a new unit. And. . . I don’t always show the entire movie. Sometimes a clip from the movie is enough to lay the foundation, spark student interest, and get them thinking. Whether we’re diving into space exploration with The Martian or talking about the history of women in STEM with Hidden Figures, starting with a movie gets my students interested and ready to learn. It instantly grabs their attention and sets the stage for exciting discussions and activities that follow.

STEM movies are also great conversation starters. After watching a scene, I’ll ask my students to share their thoughts on the science behind what they saw. It opens the floor for engaging discussions like what they would have done differently or how scientists might solve similar real-life problems. These conversations help my students connect what they’ve seen on screen to real-world STEM challenges.

I also love turning what we’ve watched into hands-on projects. For example, after watching Big Hero 6, I might have students design their own robots. After Apollo 13, they could tackle an engineering challenge that mirrors the teamwork and problem-solving skills they saw in the movie. It’s such a fun way to help my students put their new knowledge into action and explore STEM concepts in a hands-on way.

STEM movies aren’t just for the STEM Lab or science class! They can easily be used in other subjects too. The possibilities for cross-curricular connections are endless, making these STEM movies a beneficial resource for any classroom.

Top STEM Movies and TV Shows To Use In Your Classroom

1. Hidden Figures (2016)

If you haven’t seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it! Hidden Figures tells the incredible true story of three brilliant African-American women who were instrumental at NASA during the space race. This film is inspiring and a great way to open up discussions about diversity in STEM fields.

How to use it: After watching the movie, have your students research other influential figures in STEM, particularly those often overlooked in history. You can also tie in math lessons by exploring the calculations used for space travel. It’s a great way to show real-world applications of math! And. . . if you’d like a language arts connection, consider reading the young reader’s edition of the book as a class.

2. The Martian (2015)

I love this movie because it shows how science can save the day! In The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney uses his knowledge of botany and engineering to survive alone on Mars. It’s a fantastic way to dive into topics like space exploration, chemistry, and problem-solving.

How to use it: After watching, split your students into groups and have them design their own habitats for surviving on Mars. The future of Mars exploration could be sitting in your classroom! You could also experiment with growing plants in different conditions to simulate space farming. It’s a hands-on way to get students thinking like scientists and solving the problems that living on Mars currently has!

3. Interstellar (2014)

For older students, Interstellar is a fascinating introduction to concepts like black holes, time dilation, and space travel. It’s packed with complex ideas, but the visuals and story make it easier to grasp.

How to use it: Use this movie to kick off a discussion on the science of space. Ask your students to explore the concept of gravity or the idea of time bending in space. You could even let them dream up their own space missions. This can lead to some super creative and innovative ideas.

4. Big Hero 6 (2014)

This animated film is perfect for your younger students who love robotics and technology. Big Hero 6 follows the story of a young inventor and his adorable robot, Baymax. They teach lessons about engineering and teamwork along the way.

How to use it: After watching, challenge your students to build their own simple robots using everyday materials. It’s a great way to encourage problem-solving and creativity. Your students will love seeing their creations come to life! Then introduce them to coding and how they can write the code that will allow their robot to do something.

5. Apollo 13 (1995)

This classic film tells the true story of the Apollo 13 space mission. On this mission, the crew faced a life-or-death crisis. They had to rely on their engineering skills to make it home safely. It’s an exciting way to teach teamwork and problem-solving.

How to use it: After watching, have your students work on an engineering challenge where they design a solution to a real-world problem, just like the astronauts did. For example, they could create a parachute to safely land a payload. They really can do any challenge you dream up!

6. Fly Away Home (1996)

This heartfelt movie about how a young girl teaches a group of orphaned geese to migrate might not seem like a STEM movie at all. It’s filled with wonderful themes that go beyond the world of STEM. But it is also a great example of the design process in action as Amy and her father design and build a flying machine that will lead the geese through the migration process.

How to use it: Use excerpts from the movie to illustrate the design process as you teach it to your students. Let them see designing, building, and redesigning in action. It’s a great way to help them understand the importance of the process and that the first idea isn’t usually the only one.

7. Spare Parts (2015)

Diving into the world of robotics and coding with your students? They will love this movie based on real events. Your students will love seeing how a robotics club from a school in Phoenix used nothing but spare parts to build a robot and compete in a robotics competition against MIT.

How to use it: This is a great movie to inspire your students to think outside the box. For some students that may come easy, but for others those words don’t make any sense. Here, they can see that concept in action. Pair this movie with some STEM challenges that will get your students thinking outside the box when it comes to supplies and challenge solutions. This movie would be a great team-building activity for a robotics team too! Nothing like a little inspiration to get them excited about working together.

Ready to Get Excited About STEM

If these movies get you and your kids excited about STEM, then you are going to love my STEM Picture Book and Activity Book. Your kids will love learning with Natalie as she discovers the engaging world of STEM. Then let them use their excitement to try their hand at one of the 30 STEM challenges in the activity book. They are the perfect addition to your classroom or home library!

Enhance Your Teaching By Using STEM Movies

Incorporating STEM movies and TV shows into your STEM lessons is a fun way to engage our students. The movies and TV shows help to bring those big concepts to life. Whether it’s space exploration, coding, or engineering, these films offer a fresh perspective that can spark curiosity and make learning more relatable. If you’re ready to bring some excitement to your STEM lessons, I highly recommend checking out the other movies on Octane Seating’s full STEM TV & Movie Guide. It’s packed with films and TV shows that will make STEM feel more fun and accessible to your students. It doesn’t matter what grade you teach! Trust me, your students will be excited to dive into these stories. The best part is they’ll be learning at the same time!

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