When I was in the classroom, I used BrainPOP videos mostly as sub plans. The videos were an easy way to give my students a solid review of what we had already learned in class. It was simple, kids liked it, and the 10 question quiz kept them accountable for paying attention in my absence.
A few years ago, I saw BrainPOP at the NCCE Conference in Seattle and kinda giggled as they were sharing their “tech” integrations. Well, that is when I learned we were just doing it differently in Issaquah. We were still using our school wide log-ins to get access to the the paid videos and printing out the worksheets for kids to do in class. BrainPOP had come a LONG way, we just hadn’t.
Here are some ways you can take advantage of all that BrainPOP has to offer:
Step One: Ditch the whole school log-in.
If you are K-5 then access your teacher dashboard in Clever and direct students to do likewise, secondary teachers will log-in through Classlink. You are able to assign videos and assignments plus track progress for each our your courses. They are already rostered for you! Explore the teacher dashboard, it is really intuitive.
Set Two: Have kids Create, Play, and Discover
When assigning the tasks that students interact with after the video give them multiple ways to show their understanding. They can make their own version of a BrainPOP movie with the Make a Movie, take advantage of mind mapping strategies with the Make a Map assignment, or even extend their knowledge of Scratch by using the Coding assignment. Draw About It, Write About It, and Talk About It on BrainPOP Jr. offer different modes of creative response for every type of learner. When students interact with content, through games, quizzes, and other activities, they apply, analyze, and evaluate, seamlessly allowing for playful assessment opportunities. Students can go deeper into a topic with Related Readings or Belly Up (comic strips for BrainPOP Jr topics).
Step 3: Learn More for Yourself
BrainPOP 101 is the intro course, it is exactly how I became up to speed in less than a day! If you already get the basics but want to go deeper check out their learn at home resources.
If you want more support with the BrainPOP platform, your EdTech TOSA is here and ready to help!
BITS AND PIECES 