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BrainPOP Movie Roundup: May 2026

Animated BrainPOP educational movie stills displaying a suffragette with "Votes for Women" sign, Apollo 13 module, newspaper headline "Student wins war memorial contest", and two figures, Moby (an orange robot) and Tim in bee gear on a colorful background.

May has a lot going on—you’re tired from testing season, you’re looking forward to summer, and you’re trying to keep students’ attention for the last push of the year.


Enter, BrainPOP.


From Star Wars Day and AAPI Heritage Month to World Bee Day and the anniversary of the New York Public Library, we’ve curated weekly movie recommendations to accompany your May lesson planning.


Looking for an excuse to celebrate something? Want a timely hook to a lesson? Want to explain a particularly complex topic—say, “What is Memorial Day?”? BrainPOP has got you covered.  


No matter what you choose, you’re sure to hold your students’ attention, get them curious about the topic, and spark a lively class discussion where every student has something to say. 


BrainPOP Movie Moments in May


Movies for May, All Month Long


AAPI Heritage Month

A newspaper titled "The World" from May 7, 1981, announces "Student Wins War Memorial Contest" with a smiling person holding a design. Movie still from Maya Lin BrainPOP topic.

Celebrate with a primer—AAPI Heritage Month—or through pioneering AAPI figures like Bruce Lee or Maya Lin on BrainPOP (for grades 3-8!) and Allen Say (for grades K-3).


Pro tip: Pair Maya Lin (and her Vietnam Veterans Memorial) with Memorial Day for a combo Memorial Day-AAPI Heritage Month lesson!



Three orange cartoon robot heads with varying expressions on green, yellow, and purple backgrounds. On-screen text: "What is gratitude? Subtitles are paused at a quote including "sadness, and anger." From Emotions BrainPOP Jr. movie.

Mental Health Awareness Month

What better way to spread awareness than through movies that unpack ADHD, Cyberbullying, Anxiety, or Self-Esteem for your older students, and Emotions and Gratitude for your younger ones?



Illustration of Judy Blume, smiling with curly hair wearing a blue shirt and pearls against a vibrant pink background. From BrainPOP's Judy Blume movie.

Jewish Heritage Month

Celebrate by learning about notable Jewish figures and their contributions to society—think Anne Frank, Judy Blume, Elie Wiesel, and Albert Einstein (for grades 3-8).



Cartoon of Rita in a red lifeguard shirt and two robots, including Moby, running on a sunny beach. The yellow robot wears a lifeguard shirt. From the BrainPOP Water Safety movie.

Water Safety Month

Get safe, ready, and excited for summer with the Water Safety topic (for grades 3-8)!






Movies for the Week of May 4th


Tim looks puzzled at the Apollo 13 Command Module display, featuring Moby's cartoonish eye peeking out. From BrainPOP's Apollo Project movie.

May 1: National Space Day

Take the opportunity to introduce older students and watch Space Flight,  Apollo Project, or the Moon then connect it to Artemis II and the new Artemis program! Get  younger students warmed up through the biography of Mae Jemison.




Tim and Moby dressed up as Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, wearing robes and wigs. From BrainPOP"s Theme movie.

May 4: May the 4th Be With You

 On BrainPOP (3-8), watch a Star Wars-themed Theme movie, or teach the more on-the-nose Star Wars Day celebration with Life Cycle of Stars or Solar System. On BrainPOP Jr. (K-3), use the force with the Solar System topic.



Map of Mexico with 31 colorful states marked, compass rose, and text "Where is Mexico?" Subtitles: "It has thirty-one states, plus the capital, Mexico City. Mexico has a population of over 108 million people." From the BrainPOP Jr. Mexico video.

May 5: Cinco de Mayo

Learn how Mexico plays a role in Latin music with Latin Music. For younger learners, introduce them to Mexico!




A person operates an old computer with plugboards. Binary code in bright green is displayed in the background, conveying a vintage tech vibe. From BrainPOP's Computer History movie.

May 6: Anniversary of the First iMac

On May 6, 1998, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s first iMac, which launched Apple—and computer history—into a new era. Watch Computer Programming with your K-3rd graders, and Computer History with your 3rd-8th graders! Then, cap it off with the Artificial Intelligence movie to reflect on how far technology has come.


Moby operates a large steam engine into Tim's living room while Tim is sitting on the couch, surprised while reading a letter. From BrainPOP's movie on Railroad History.

May 10: U.S. Transcontinental Railroad

On May 10, 1869, the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad was finished—mark the occasion with Railroad History (BrainPOP 3-8). 





A scrapbooked photo of a mother and daughter smiling while holding hands in a park. Colorful kids flowers drawings surround the photo. From BrainPOP's Parenthood movie.

May 10: Mother's Day

Get 3-8th graders ready by watching the Parenthood movie—and give them gift ideas by watching Chocolate.






Movies for the Week of May 11th


Illustration of a Black woman in a hat holding a "Votes for Women" sign. She wears a long dress and stands confidently against a teal background. From BrainPOP's movie on Women's Suffrage.

May 15: National Woman Suffrage Association

Fun fact: On May 15, 1869, the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded. Teach your older students all about the movement with Women’s Suffrage or Voting, and introduce your younger students to the subject through Susan B. Anthony.




Tim and Moby stand in front of a neoclassical building with columns. Tim's shirt shows overlapping brown and tan circles to represent desegregation. From the BrainPOP movie on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.

May 17: Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

On May 17, 1954, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivered the Supreme Court’s milestone ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Honor the occasion by watching the movie about it, or one on Civil Rights. If you teach younger ones, Ruby Bridges is a fan favorite!



Movies for the Week of May 18th



Illustration of bees surrounding a queen bee on an orange honeycomb background. Bees have striped bodies and transparent wings. From the BrainPOP Honeybees movie.

May 20: World Bee Day

Generate a buzz with Honeybees, Pollination, or Ecosystems (grades 3-8) or Insects for younger learners. Want to try something a little different? Do a Bees Storyboard for a little bit of reading practice! 




Annie and Moby stand side by side in a classroom for young learners. Text: What are extinct species? Subtitles: That means no members of its population are left on the whole planet. From the BrainPOP Jr. Extinct and Endangered Species movie.

May 21: Endangered Species Day

Teach Extinct and Endangered Species to your K-3rd grade classroom, and Extinction and Invasive Species to your 3rd-8th graders.





In the animation, books are alphabetically grouped together by author. The first two books are grouped under the bracket “Natalie BABbitt.” The next three books are grouped under the bracket “Christopher Paul CURtis.” The final two books are grouped under the bracket “Kate DICamillo.” From BrainPOP's Library Organization movie.

May 23: Anniversary of the New York Public Library

On May 23, 1911, the New York Public Library opened its doors for the first time. Get your younger students excited about libraries with Library, Choosing a Book, or Book Reports—and your older students with Research, Library Organization, or Online Sources.

Movies for the Week of May 25th


Man in apron, "BBQ LIFE," grills burgers for veteran in cap while in a park. From the BrainPOP Memorial Day movie.

May 25: Memorial Day

Learn all about its history with Memorial Day or Armed Forces with your older students, and introduce U.S. Symbols to your younger students.



Sally Ride with children in a science lab. From the Sally Ride BrainPOP movie.

May 26: Sally Ride’s Birthday

Take the opportunity to introduce 3-8 students to the pioneering astronaut Sally Ride’s life and legacy. For K-3 students, the Concept Maps movie discusses Sally Ride, too!




An animation shows the trusses added to beam bridges to dissipate force. Moby presses his finger on the center of the bridge. Arrows show tension and displacement forces moving downward and outward along the trusses. From the BrainPOP Bridges movie.


May 27: Golden Gate Bridge Opens

May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened its international orange…well, gates. In its honor, introduce 3-8th graders to the function, types, and science of bridges with the Bridges topic.




Mount Everest with its height marked at 8,848 meters. From the BrainPOP Mount Everest movie.

May 29: Mount Everest Summited

On May 29, 1953, Mount Everest was summited for the first time! Hold a summit of your own by introducing younger students to Landforms, and older students to the science of Mountains and background about Mount Everest itself. 




Human body scan of Tim shows organs with detailed lung focus. Pink organs on black grid background. Text: "Subject: Tim, Species: Homo Sapiens." From the BrainPOP Respiratory Systems movie.

May 31: World No Tobacco Day

Finish May strong using Smoking, Lungs, or Asthma for a K-3-friendly explanation, and Smoking or Respiratory System for a more complex explanation for grades 3-8.





Looking for More BrainPOP Movies for May?


Want to celebrate, honor, teach, or unpack something not on this list? If you have a BrainPOP or BrainPOP Jr. subscription, you can log in and browse yourself to your heart’s content—by subject, search, or curriculum! 


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Note: Topic availability may vary based on content settings configured by your school or district. Topic availability in your account is determined by content settings configured by your school or district administrators. When logged in, topic availability reflects content settings configured by your school or district.


AnnaLiese Burich is a Product Marketing Manager at BrainPOP. In addition to holding an MA in Magazine Journalism and an MA in English Literature, she has worked in (and written for) the edtech space from every angle: from parenting tips and children's activities to classroom strategies and district goals. AnnaLiese's favorite BrainPOP character is Tim.





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