This is the homestretch: submissions for the lesson plan contest we’re sponsoring with Intel are due May 22^nd! Implemented through We Are Teachers, the contest invites educators to submit lesson plans showcasing the use of our resources on mobile devices. Grand prizes include $200 (put it to use at ISTE, perhaps?!) plus a Flip cam you can use to film your creative ideas in action. We’ll also feature the winners right here on BrainPOP Educators.

To help get your creative juices flowing, We Are Teachers has put together a few tips for pairing digital resources with mobile devices.

Show a clip to introduce a lesson. Have partners watch together on a Slate or Netbook. Challenge them to tackle any related activities together, and ask them to brainstorm questions they have about what they’ve just seen. Then, use their questions to jumpstart your class discussion.

Invite fast finishers to tune in. Allow fast finishers to don headphones and watch relevant movies on a Smartphone or Slate.

Use video to differentiate your lessons. Video and movies are great tools for reaching a broad range of learners. Show a movie that ties in to what you’re teaching. Students who are still struggling with the concepts afterwards can re-watch the movie on a mobile device or view another clip that highlights the material in a different way. Meanwhile, students who demonstrate a firm grasp of the material can work on creating their own movies using mobile devices.

Have students watch movies from home. You’ve no doubt heard the buzz about the “flipped school” model. Make it work for you! Have students watch educational movies and lectures at home. Then use class time to complete assignments previously given as homework. Even if you don’t fully adopt the model, having kids watch movies on their mobile devices at home can help to deepen their knowledge of the material and illustrate difficult concepts in a new light.

Get more great ideas and contest details here!

Wednesday, May 16 3:00PM ET:

Memorial Day is more than the summer kickoff – it’s an important topic to address in the classroom. BrainPOP and Knovation (formerly netTrekker) team up to help you identify the most engaging lessons and useful resources focusing on the holiday. We’ll demonstrate the pairing of BrainPOP’s high-quality content with Knovation’s extensive Social Studies collection and useful search and resource building features. Take home best practices for creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences for your students to remember this day and what it is all about.

Jaclyn McLaren is a 6th grade Earth Science teacher at Webb Bridge Middle School in Alpharetta, GA.

I have been teaching 6^th Grade Earth Science for six years and we have been able to use BrainPOP, thanks to a PTA grant, for the past five years at my school.   The teachers at my school use the resources on a daily basis.  BrainPOP brings an innovative educational experience to our classrooms where the students look forward to learning in this creative way.  They enthusiastically focus on the fresh new ideas offered during these movies and continue on to the final questions with much anticipation.

This year though I wanted to do something different as a test review.  I was thinking how I could incorporate BrainPOP into my classroom.  Then it came to me, I would have students create their own videos on topics taught in class.  The students would get in groups and I would assign them each a different topic discussed over the school year.  I decided to incorporate this idea for use as a year end review.  The students overwhelmingly agreed how exciting it would be to create their own videos on topics taught in the class.  They formed groups of three to four classmates in which I assigned a different topic discussed over the course of the year.

Each group created a 3-5 minute skit BrainPOP style.  The video began with an introduction letter reading the question, the actors wearing their specifically designed t-shirts, and the rest of the video consisted of detailed information regarding their topic.  They then followed up with a 10 question quiz and answer key to give to students.  Each group member was required to do research on the topic and act in the video.  Then each group member was assigned a task.  One member was the writer of the script, one was the quiz maker, and one was the t-shirt designer.  They were then given a timeline for each task at which time I approved and returned them. Finally, they had 2-3 weeks to film the video.

It was so amazing to see the students’ creativity come alive with the videos, added background music and even bloopers.  We then took a few days in class to watch the BrainPOP videos, the quiz makers displaying their questions on the activeboard, and the students answering questions at their desk.  My 6^th grade students will definitely remember this project and all had a great time proudly viewing their finished products.  As a teacher it was nice to see them take on tasks as editors, actors, writers, and designers.  They all did a great job.

Worry nevermore, BrainPOP now has an  Edgar Allan Poe movie!  We profile the 19th century author’s background and career as a writer, as well as his influence on gothic literature.  Join Tim and Moby as they explore the common themes found among some of his most famous literary works, including “The Tell Tale Heart, “The Raven,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.”  While Poe’s style is mostly gothic and gloomy, don’t be fooled.  Students will learn about the author’s softer side and discover pieces of literature that are not as dark.  The movie is the perfect resource for teaching students about the gothic horror genre, poetry, and the classic author.  The FYI section that accompanies the movie offers some insight to the myths and mysteries surrounding Poe, as well as famous quotations from the man himself.

We’re excited about the ability for users of BrainPOP and Google Apps to connect the services. By doing so, everyone benefits from the ease of single sign on (sso) and the ability to send quiz scores directly to a Google spreadsheet. The embedded slideshow below will walk you through the ease of installation, but if you want a more detailed explanation, check out the webinar from March 2012. If you’re in a school that uses Google Apps and BrainPOP already, this integration is a no brainer!

BrainPOP is excited to announce our collaboration with Teach for All, a global network of social enterprises that is working to expand educational opportunity in nations all around the world.  Many have heard of Teach for America, the program that puts motivated college graduates into high needs schools in the US, but fewer know that international interest in the Teach For America model spawned Teach For All (TFALL), which was launched at the Clinton Global Initiative conference in September 2007. Today, the TFALL network includes organizations in twenty-three countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, with programs in an additional 10-20 countries expected to join in the next two years alone.  Are you currently working with a Teach For All partner school?  If so, take a look in the TFALL Synergies community for an exciting opportunity that includes access to BrainPOP!

With the rise in popularity of games based learning, we are hearing more and more about game based assessment.  Though we believe that students learn a great deal and exercise their “problem solving” muscles from playing well designed games, it’s a hard thing to quantify!  In response to this challenge, many organizations are supporting research and development endeavors and are looking to you, expert educators, for guidance.

Specifically, ETS,  designers of the SAT, the GRE and the AP examinations is pleased to announce the official launch of the ETS Assessment Games Design Challenge!  ETS is encouraging game developers and educators to create a math assessment task in the form of a game. One grand prize winner will receive $7,000 and the winner and thee runners-up will receive an all-expense-paid trip to showcase the winning project in a learning and games demo space at ETS in Princeton, N.J.

ETS is looking for innovative ideas that produce evidence of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities in mathematics. The assessment tasks should be based on a Learning Progression for a field of mathematics in grades K–12. The ETS Assessment Games Challenge features three categories of entry:

•             Variables and Equality Learning Progression (approximately grades 5–9)

•             Linear Functions Learning Progression (approximately grades 7–10)

•             Open entry for another Learning Progression in any other K–12 mathematical content

The ETS Assessment Games Challenge will accept entries from May 1, 2012, through August 17, 2012. Complete guidelines and details on how to enter are available at www.ETSGamesChallenge.com.

Many BrainPOP Educators are embracing games based learning, so we thought you’d be interested in knowing about an opportunity to share your expertise and knowledge.

The Microsoft Partners in Learning 2012 US Forum is Microsoft’s premier educator recognition program open to all K-12 educators. The Forum seeks to find and showcase examples of innovation happening in classrooms and schools. It is easy to apply, and if accepted, Microsoft pays expenses for you to come to a unique 2-day professional learning experience that will include project exhibitions, professional development and the ability to collaborate with like-minded colleagues from around the country. Finalists from the US Forum will go on to represent the U.S. at the 2012 Global Forum in Athens, Greece. Learn more and apply: http://bit.ly/US_Forum

Final application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time May 15, 2012.

Unfortunately scheduled presenter Mike Amante is unavailable to present this afternoon.  Though we are disappointed not to hear from him, we are pleased that Lisa Johnson will be joing us instead. Lisa has a tremendous knowledge of the free ios app landscape.  Her passion for helping teachers identify the best educational apps has led her to develop “techchef4you,” an app that indexes free educational apps by subject. It’s getting a lot of buzz, because it’s awesome! Lisa will share some of her favorite apps with you, our dedicated BrainPOP educators. Same time, Same place

For more info about Lisa See her bio below!

We look forward to seeing you this afternoon, and we will also let you know when we reschedule Mike’s webinar.

About Lisa Johnson:

Appaholic, Apptivity Author, Social Geek, iPad Evangelist, WordPress Addict, MOPS Mom, Caffeine Dependent. After graduating with a degree in elementary education with an English certification, Lisa taught secondary mathematics and began writing technology-infused curriculum for Computer Explorers. She then completed her master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction & Technology Integration and was “appy” to take an an Instructional Technology Position with North East ISD in TX. Her love for “cooking up” technology integrated lessons, the need for a creative & productive outlet, and a social and collaborative venue led her to create the techchef4u blog in early May of 2011. As a tech chef, she wants to share these dishes with the world. The Mumford & Sons song, “Awake Your Soul,” says it best, “Where you invest your love, you invest your life.”

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (ET)

Location: click here to access the webinar

Wednesday, May 9 3:00PM ET:
The App-solute Best Advice with Mike Amante

Overwhelmed by lists describing “the best” educational apps for iOS? Need advice and guidance for what to use . . . tomorrow? Have no fear, BrainPOP is here! This week we are thrilled to welcome Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified teacher, and New York based technology integrationist mastermind Mike Amante for a inspiring hour exploring educational trends in mobility, the best apps for iOS, and useful advice about best pedagogical practice.