Do you have fond memories of Saturday morning cartoons? Looking for an easy and fun way to spice up your classroom? Check out www.brainpop.com. I came across this interactive site for students and teachers after I overheard a colleague talking about how his high school students love the witty cartoon characters who introduce subject matter in an efficient and easy to understand way. After spending a little time on the site, I found it to be full of wonderful short cartoon clips which support the concepts I teach, in addition to great teacher resources. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the great things you’ll find:
Short Video Clips by Subject Area: These are by far my favorite and the students’ too! On the home page you’ll see a variety of subject matter areas – Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, Technology, and some specialty categories as well. Click on a subject area and you’ll find a more detailed concept map within that subject, listing countless cartoon clips which teach the specific subject area. Students can even take a comprehensive quiz at the end of the video clip!
Educators’ Page: This link is just for you. Updated with new research, lesson plans, video tutorials, and classroom tools, a few minutes spent browsing this site will leave you with endless resources for your classroom. Check out the “Curriculum Calendar”, which is a schedule of free resources to access each day including BrainPop and BrainPop Jr. video clips, conferences/professional development, and holidays.
Standards Search: Looking to meet a specific standard? Use the “Standards” link on the homepage to access a database search which will pull up the video clips and resources which meet the specific standards you are working on!
Ready to check it out? Take five minutes to go to www.brainpop.com and you won’t regret it. Many of the resources are free, but if you want access to all of the great videos talk to your school or district about a classroom, school, or district subscription. It is well worth the cost and a great way to supplement your teaching!