Brain Pop

Lynette McDaniel
Jeff Davis Middle School, Hazelhurst, Georgia

At the GaETC Conference, I attended a workshop on The Incredible Internet presented by Tammy Worcester. This workshop provided websites that she had researched to workshop participants. These websites were free and easily accessible for anyone to use. She also listed other websites that were not free, but would be used for a nominal fee.  She presented this information in a clear, easily understandable PowerPoint presentation that was available on her website for participants to review at a later time.

As she discussed the websites, she demonstrated how to use several of the most popular ones. Her instruction on using these websites was easy to understand and very applicable for teachers and students, both in the classroom and at home.

The most interesting website she shared with the workshop participants was called Brain Pop, a website that can be used for a nominal fee. This website provides students in grades K-12 instruction in technology and all academic areas, which meet the national standards. This website has an easy login for students and teachers. Students enter the website and click on the subject area. Each subject area is broken down into several categories. The students then watch a two-four minute animated movie about the topic, by a short interactive quiz. There are printable activity sheets that can be used with the movie or in the classroom after each section.

The teachers at my school were very excited when I brought information back to them from the conference. They began to utilize Brain Pop immediately in the lab. Its ease to use was a key factor in getting the teachers to use this website. The students are also very interested in the website because it’s a very interactive site, and the students love the interaction. It is great at reviewing previously taught material and previewing new material for students who are ready for acceleration. Brain Pop is wonderful site both to introduce new material and to review material that students are having problem with.

This workshop would be extremely beneficial for any teacher, assistant, and other individual in the education field. The information presented was easily accessible and presented in a clear manner that can be applied immediately for student and teacher use.

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