BrainPOP

Is your school district financially strapped and unable to upgrade software?  Are you familiar with the animated characters of Mobi and Tim?  If you aren’t, then you will want to become friendly with them as they help to reinforce all curricular areas as well as the integrated arts.  BrainPOP has a wealth of information on their main webpage for educators to incorporate – some things are free, others require a subscription.  However, if you happen to have an iTouch or an iPad, then the application is a free download.  When teachers hear the word FREE – their ears immediately perk up!!!

Although my school district has a license to use BrainPOP extensively, this application provides daily featured movies that relate to what is going on for that particular day.  For example, today’s featured movie is Ecosystems since February 2 is World Wetlands Day.  As a teacher are you concerned that you may have already taught that subject or have not broached the topic as of yet?  Don’t be!!!  Just imagine your students sitting at their desks or “chilling” on the floor as they reinforce or even introduce themselves to a particular topic.  Through animated short clip movies, students are learning and having fun all at the same time. To extend their learning, this application has a follow-up multiple choice quiz to gain an understanding if they comprehended the topic just viewed.  In addition, students are able to see how they scored and if further reteaching is necessary. While BrainPOP can be implemented through iTouches individually, they can also be used on an iPad as a whole group.  By purchasing a VGA adapter that connects to both the iPad and the LCD projector, introductions to lessons or extensions of a particular topic can now be had.

There are additional movies to be viewed outside of the featured movie of the day, but the amount offered happens to be limited. However, if you visit the application each day, there is a new movie to be seen.  Do your students come in rather rambunctious in the morning or even as they return from lunch/recess?  Have your iPad hooked up and ready to go so that they see the technology out for sharing and their loud voices will become a whisper.  Technology can grab just about any student or child!

Interested in learning more about how BrainPOP can transform your classroom?  Then be sure to visit their website or download the FREE application today in iTunes.