How do you use Brainpop?

[redsquirrel]

I am considering Brainpop and Brainpop jr. Is it something that can be used educationally or is it more of a fun extra?

 

What ages does it work best for? How do you make it work for you?

[Momling]

Both my girls love brainpop. I use it in several ways...

 

As busywork -- I let them choose whatever they want to watch if I just need them occupied. They do have to answer the review questions.

 

As a supplement -- I will have the kids use it alongside other materials... For instance, if we're studying about Egypt, they watch the video about King Tut... if we're looking about angles, they watch the video about angles. They answer the review questions and check out the other activities or cartoon.

 

As an actual unit -- I've used the videos on disease and body systems to make a "Health" unit. I made a list of the topics I wanted them to view. After watching the video and doing the review questions, they wrote a few sentences and drew a picture about each topic in their portfolio.

[AHASRADA]

Same here. Sometimes I assign videos related to our current history or science topic. Otherwise, dd chooses the topic in an assigned area. I usually require either written or oral narration as follow-up.

 

I find the videos to be a great intro. to topics!

[NittanyJen]

I support all the PP's so far.

 

This week we have been using BP for review. We are starting to wrap up a year of chemistry with my 8 and 11YO with a few weeks of gee whiz bang experiments and demos... Stuff fom Steve Spangler, Supercharged Science (yes, we did the burning dollar bill last night; it was spectacular), The Happy Scientist, etc, and they have to volunteer ideas about what principles are being put to work.

 

They alo get to pick 1-2 BP videos per day on any chem topic to watch and take the quiz as a kind of year review of concepts we have covered.

 

Just at a time when the chem topic could be getting worn out, it's getting fun all over again :). BrainPOP is one component of that after a year of a lot of reading, note booking, diagram drawing, writing definitions, and writing up lab reports!

[Marie131]

My grade 1 son loves both brain pop and brain pop jr. We have a free subscription through our school, but it would be worth paying for if we didn't. I have mostly just let him explore the topics he is interested in on his own, but have also pulled videos in that are related to our topics. He has learned so much from it. He would probably spend all of his time on that website if I let him :tongue_smilie:

[redsquirrel]

Thanks for the input. I was concerned it was dressed up cartoons. I will check it out.

[blondeviolin]

My older two (but still little) LOVE it.

 

Funny story: After watching a nutrition video, Abby has een fascinated with how many calories are in certain foods. It was odd when my five-year-old just turned down a Dum-Dum at the doctor's because it had "too many calories and grams of sugar and that's not good." :001_huh: The PA student kind of stared me down until the pedi came in and vouched for me as a mom.

Edited April 7, 2012 by blondeviolin

[AngelBee]

I use it for all of my kids and the girl I tutor. We love it!

 

Once a year in july or august u can get brainpop and discovery streaming subscriptions for 59.00 for both! It is through http://www.onlineg3.com/

[DaffodilDreams]

We use it as a fun extra. Dd8 enjoys it immensely and voluntarily spends time with it. I don't want to kill that for her.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Same here, for fun and learning... wouldn't pay full price but $60 for both brainpops and Discovery Education is a great deal from G3.

[raesrose]

BrainPop Jr. is how I bribe my 6 year old son to finish his work some days. ;) He loves it. I originally thought it was kind of pricey, but he has learned so much and enjoys watching the videos, the cartoons and playing the games. It has definitely been worth the cost to us. I'm glad I splurged on it.

[Briartell]

:lurk5:

[Shellers]

I have the free BrainPop iPhone app. My son watches a freebie most days. We use it for fun.

[CrunchyGirl]

Same here, for fun and learning... wouldn't pay full price but $60 for both brainpops and Discovery Education is a great deal from G3.

 

Sorry, I'm a little new to this. What's G3?

[AngelBee]

Sorry, I'm a little new to this. What's G3?

 

I linked it earlier in thread. :)

[Joyofsixreboot]

I use it to reinforce something we're studying anyway. I have the 5 th grader do the " test" to make sure he's not zoning out.

[CrunchyGirl]

I linked it earlier in thread. :)

 

Whoops! Thank you. I have serious pregnancy brain these days.

[rocketgirl]

We use it mostly as a supplement. When we worked on biomes and matter, for example, we used it to explain what we were learning, in another way. We often use the extra activities with it. We've been using it now for 2 years. My 2nd grader will use it independently: go into the science section, watch a lesson, complete activities & print them out.