BrainPOP Will Blow Your Mind!

When I was still in the classroom, BrainPOP was a great resource for me to be able to show a short video illustrating a concept. The kids loved it, but to be honest, I used it more as a reward or to fill up free time than as an actual teaching tool. I kind of drifted away from BrainPOP and hadn’t really explored it all until just last week when somebody said to me, “Hey, have you seen all of the cool things that BrainPOP can do?” Intrigued, I signed in using my district G-suite for Education credentials and my mind was blown at the amazing lessons, student response options, and concept packaging that is available.  

If you haven’t checked out BrainPOP in awhile, I highly recommend that you give it a second glance, especially since the district has provided each teacher and student with a full subscription!

Features:

G-Suite Sign In:  No need to remember usernames and passwords. Teachers and students can simply sign into BrainPOP with their G-Suite credentials. A click quick and you are in!

 

My Classes/Google Classroom Integration: BrainPOP allows you to sync your current Google Classrooms with their system. This sync will pull your Classroom roster and make it easy for you to see individual student progress on any assignments you create within BrainPOP. The My Classes tab shows detailed progress for each student. You can view where they currently are on an assignment, how they have done on any of the items already completed and interact with student work in spreadsheet form. If you want, you can download scores and progress records as an Excel file (don’t worry, you can turn it into a Google Sheet once you upload it to your Google Drive).

Assignment Builder: Instead of just giving your students one video clip to watch, you can create an entire package of learning opportunities. Each video clip has predesigned activities. If you want your students to explore a concept and then apply it, simply select from any (or all) of the activities and have BrainPOP package and deliver them. You can then use the My Classes tab to monitor success and struggles. 

Movie Quiz/Mixer Quiz/Quiz Builder: Each BrainPOP movie comes with a movie quiz, but you also have the ability to create your own quiz. When you use the Mixer tool, you can write your own quiz questions or choose from a bank of questions already written. 

Make-a-Map: Take concept mapping to new heights with this tool. Students can make meaningful connections as they create graphics based on the video concepts by using BrainPOP images, keywords, and movie clips.

Make-a-Movie: Students and teachers love the concept of movie creation. Usually, we are searching for tools that students can use to create their own movie, and now you don’t have to look any further than BrainPOP. This extremely robust tool allows not just students to create, teachers can create as well! Click on the image to see some videos created by BrainPOP users!

Creative Coding: Have you been thinking about offering coding opportunities in your classroom? BrainPOP has decided to capitalize on this new focus on coding and STEAM opportunities by developing their own in-house coding activities! Don’t know how to code? Don’t worry, all the resources you and your students need are right at your fingertips!

BrainPOP Challenge: BrainPOP’s auto-graded Challenge feature now accompanies more than 100 topics, from Edgar Allen Poe and Plate Tectonics to Copernicus and Stocks & Shares!  These playful activities challenge students to put their critical thinking skills to the test in fun, interactive ways while seamlessly enabling teachers to assess what their class knows. Each BrainPOP Challenge is a set of topical activities emphasizing cognitive skills including concept mapping, diagram labeling, matching, text highlighting, multiple response, sequencing, and Venn diagramming. Source

Games: So many games! So many fun concepts! So many linked lesson ideas! What a great way to help make learning fun. These aren’t just games for students to waste time on; they are directly linked to content and standards. Each game even has an aligned lesson plan to extend the learning beyond the game situation. Students can create their own games as well!

Newsela: BrainPOP has taken the work out of finding resources for you by including Newsela articles right in the assignment builder.

FYI: Need your students to dig a little deeper? Assign an FYI sheet as part of student work. The FYI link provides vocabulary, quirky information, real-life examples, and possibly even a comic strip!

Teacher Resources: BrainPOP is not expecting teachers to just create assignments and have the students experience the concepts only in a digital environment. Every concept in BrainPOP includes lesson ideas, printable resources, and additional ways to explore in the classroom with teacher-led instruction or activities.

What are you waiting for?

I am just amazed at all of the resources you have right at your fingertips! And before you decide that BrainPOP isn’t right for the age of your students, know that you can toggle back and forth between BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. With the combined forces of these programs, any teacher from Pre-K to 12th grade should be able to find materials for their students!

If you are interested in getting started with BrainPOP and like to learn on your own, check out the beginner’s guide at https://educators.brainpop.com/.

If you are interested but would like to have a little one-on-one coaching, feel free to contact me and schedule a collaboration time. Believe me, BrainPOP has something for everyone and you won’t be disappointed.