Posts on “ games ”

BrainPOP is thrilled to introduce a new category of free English Language Arts (ELA) games! When you visit the main GameUp page, you’ll now see an “English Games” button which takes you to our growing collection of online games that target a wide range of literacy skills. We’re also excited to announce the addition of Classroom, Inc.’s The Sports Network 2 (TSN-2) to our English GameUp offerings. The result of a 2011 Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), TSN-2 can easily be adapted for use with students in grades 5-9, but is designed to assess students’ proficiency in key grade 8 Common Core State Standards in Reading Informational Text. We love the way TSN-2 uses challenging tasks within a virtual workplace to address each of its target standards multiple times. Last spring, Classroom, Inc. piloted TSN-2 in eight schools in NYC and Chicago. Analysis of student data gathered through Classroom Inc’s Teacher Dashboard showed strong correlations between students’ scores on the TSN-2 embedded assessments and MAP reading scores—compelling evidence that TSN-2 is a valid predictor of student performance on standardized grade level reading tests. Pilot teachers were enthusiastic about how TSN-2 provides effective CCSS practice and assessment, and students were eager… Read the Rest»

This Thursday, January 10 at 4pm ET,  join our friends at EdWeb for a compelling webinar. Presenters: Victoria Van Voorhis, Founder & CEO, Second Avenue Software, and  Jayne C. Lammers, Assistant Professor, University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education. How do girls’ preferences in computer games vary from those of boys? Girls value the opportunity to collaborate with others in solving problems in non-violent, non-competitive contexts. These factors should be considered when designing or evaluating games for the classroom. Join Victoria Van Voorhis and Jayne C. Lammers for our community’s new webinar to learn how to incorporate games into your curriculum to engage all of your students. Join these two experts who have studied girls and gaming from diverse perspectives for the insight you need to make smart choices about games for learning. REGISTER HERE for the webinar

In addition the many movie topic pages on the solar system, BrainPOP also has three dynamic games to help students learn about space in a fun and interactive way! Build a Solar System allows students to build their own solar system. They can try to find a perfect balance or create a system unlike any we’ve ever seen! Fly to Mars is a simulation that allows students to launch a spacecraft from Earth to Mars. They’ll need to carefully monitor the position of both planets as they orbit and think carefully about the timing of their launch. Drake Equation is a chance for students to explore the likelihood of intelligent life beyond our solar system. Students answer questions to see what our chances are of being alone in the universe. Each game page links to related movie topics pages and a lesson plan which provides ideas for integrating the game into instruction. Teaching about the solar system has never been easier! Do you have other cool activities and lesson plans for teaching about space and the solar system? Share your ideas in the comments below, or submit a lesson plan!

Wednesday, October 17th at 4:00 PM ET- On the Ballot: Election-Themed Games from iCivics It’s election season and we’ve got just what you need to teach your students about the path to becoming president. Our friends at iCivics join us for this hour-long webinar to discuss the fabulous teacher resources and interactive games they have to offer. The iCivics games such as Win the White House and Executive Command paired with our BrainPOP resources are the perfect tools for you to engage your students while teaching about the election process. With the presidential election just around the corner, this is one webinar you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday, October 10th at 4:30 PM ET- Using Games in a Blended Lesson Want to make your mark as a blended educator? Look no further than the fast-evolving world of using Digital Games Based Learning in the classroom. As the availability of good curriculum-based games improves, teachers across the country are innovating rapidly in how they blend games based learning into their lesson plans. Using game-driven problem solving, certificates, exciting tournament formats and after-school clubs, teachers are finding new ways to amplify this powerful mode of study, motivating students across a wide range of abilities and supporting them as they tackle difficult problems. Join Toby Rowland, CEO of Mangahigh.com, the K12 online math site, as he explores some of the classroom activity in this exciting field, and get ideas for your own program of games based learning.

Dr. Kari Stubbs, Vice President of 21st Century Learning, is heading west to Redmond, WA to visit the Microsoft Headquarters for the 2012 Partners in Learning US Forum.  This BrainPOP-sponsored event will take place July 31-August 1 and is an exciting, professional learning experience that spotlights and allows superstar educators from all over the US to share their innovative teaching expertise.  As a keynote featured speaker, Kari will have the honor of addressing 102 amazing educators from 25 states.  Additionally, she’ll be hosting Got Game?,  a BYOL session that focuses on educational games, at which attendees will have the opportunity to explore video case studies and play some quality STEM, Social Studies, and Health games.  If you’re one of the lucky Forum attendees, be sure to visit Kari in the exhibitor space to learn more about BrainPOP and our GameUp games.  

Guts and Bolts?  It may sound gross, but it sure is fun!  Our newest BrainPOP developed game on GameUp leads students as they help Moby construct a cyborg Tim with a combination of organic tissue and re-purposed household objects.  Students will learn about the human body while arranging and connecting organs and systems into their complex configurations. This 11 level game encourages players to apply the scientific method while exploring the circulatory system, respiratory system, and digestive system.  A number of the movies in our Body Systems Unit, especially the Circulatory System and Digestive System topics, can assist students in successfully completing the game.  We’ve even created a lesson plan that outlines how to use the game in your classroom and includes some valuable teaching resources.  

BrainPOP Educators is spreading the love and you can now find some of our quality lesson plans on the HP Teacher Experience Exchange.  Much like BrainPOP Educators, the Teacher Experience Exchange is a free online community for teachers where they can interact with fellow educators, create and share lesson plans, enroll in courses, and more.   This month, the Exchange is highlighting STEM education and we’re honored that they have identified BrainPOP as a valuable resource for supporting STEM-based games and learning. Visit the Exchange to read what they’re saying about the benefits of using BrainPOP’s GameUp games in the classroom.  We’ve selected several of our best game-based lesson plans to share with the HP community and we’d like to encourage you to head on over and see what we’ve included.  From Flower Power to Executive Command, you’ll find lessons featuring our GameUp games in many curriculum areas.  

BrainPOP’s Vice President of 21st Century Learning, Dr. Kari Stubbs, is a member of the  Horizon K12 Board.  We’re excited to share that the 2012 edition of the Horizon K12 report was just released this week.  Highlights from the report include predicted trends for mobile devices/apps and game-based learning to play a significant role in learning over the new few years.  BrainPOP’s digital content and new GameUp features are ready to support your next steps in your teaching journey in both areas. According to the report, “The power of apps, coupled with the portability of mobile devices, is causing many schools to take another look at their policies regarding mobile devices. Many see mobiles as a key aspect of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments.”  The BrainPOP Featured Movie app is already a key ingredient in many mobile initiatives, including BYOD.  BrainPOP using district, Forsyth County Schools in Georgia, is featured in the report as a pioneer district for the BYOD movement. With regard to game-based learning, the report states, “This topic has gained considerable traction over the past decade as games have proven to be effective learning tools, and beneficial in cognitive development and the fostering of soft skills… Read the Rest»

We’ve made some interesting additions to our research page on BrainPOP Educators. BrainPOP teamed up with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop to lead a research project, Teacher Attitudes about Digital Games in the Classroom. 500 teachers nationally were surveyed for the study. Over 60 percent of educators surveyed feel that games helped increase engagement with subject-area content among lower-performing students. 62 percent report that games make it easier for them to level lessons and effectively teach the range of learners in their classrooms. Get the facts and read the full results of the study. Want to learn more? We’ve posted some amazing interviews with the teachers involved in the case studies for this research project.  Hear them talk about their experiences with game based learning as they give you a firsthand look at their students’ engagement in the classroom.  You’ll leave feeling inspired and ready to try out gaming with your own students!