The virtual backgrounds seen in the video were actual Zoom backgrounds used by students in my class during remote instruction (the 'Everything is Okay' meme and the Coronavirus Worldometer). The goal was to present something that would make people laugh but also to present a character that lots of people would see themselves in. I also thought instructors/teachers would identify with the message. When writing it, I wanted to honor the experience of the students who had to struggle through online instruction and a major disruption to their college experience. I had an idea for a catchy song that most people would know, and there was plenty of material kicking around in my head (online instruction and quarantine / COVID themes) for lyrics.

As the final class period crept up, I started thinking about creating a surprise video as a fun send-off. Don't Tell Me!), usually about the plan for class that day. Each week I'd write and present a short poem for the students in the form of a 'listener limerick challenge' (a la Wait Wait. Keeping things positive and light during the weeks of remote instruction was tough. What made me think of creating the video and who / what was the inspiration?

I've created music video parodies for physics, math, chemistry, engineering and computer science courses and some of my students in Baltimore were featured on the local news for their performances.

In future years, the students became more involved in the writing, planning and performing processes, and the end-of-year music video became a tradition that many students opted in to. I would change the lyrics to a popular songs to incorporate physics vocabulary and concepts. I started making physics-themed music videos for my high school students in Boston as a way to get them pumped up for their state physics exam.

All star lyrics