BrainPop: How could we use it in Geography

I’ve just spent a great hour watching and re-freshing my memory on some of the great content that is available on BrainPop. I’m making the most of my free trial! These are some of the video that I think Scottish Geography Teachers might find useful.

I’ve tried to pull them together as a list below with the name of the video, its running time and a brief description. I’ve done my best to categorise them. The movies are hyperlinked to the actual BrainPOP site. You will need a username and password to access them. BrainPop offers a free short trial. However if you would like a free three month trial follow Chris Bradford’s (the COO of BrainPOP UK) instructions that he left on my last blog post.

'How about this: If any teachers get in touch with you via this comment thread, Twitter, Second life etc in conjunction with your BrainPOP UK post I will give them and their school 3 months of BrainPOP UK for free, starting after BETT. Tell them to email us "info at brainpop dot co dot uk" with the title "Ollie told me about BrainPOP". We'll take it from there. This is only up for grabs until after BETT (2009).

This is a serious offer by the way.'

Anyway, if you sign up for three months or the free trial. I doesn’t make difference to me. I just it’s a cool product and I’ve used the US version of the site for years.

Below is the list of the video that I think will appeal to Geography teachers (sorry its so long):

Maps, Mapping at Atlas Skills

Continents of the World  (03:59)
Just how many continents are there, anyway?

Compass  (01:44)
How does a compass know which way is North? What is "North" for that matter? Find out here!

Map Skills  (03:18)
We can show you how to read a map - but we can't help with the folding!

Global Positioning System  (03:17)
GPS receivers are great at helping you get un-lost, but just how the heck do they work? Tim & Moby explain in this animated movie!

 

Industrial Geography (just what we need to make it a bit more interesting!)

The Industrial Revolution  (03:50)
Learn about the technological advances made in the Industrial Revolution!

Assembly Line  (02:02)
Ever heard of the Industrial Revolution? If you have, then you MUST know about the assembly line! Watch this film to learn more!

Forms of Energy  (02:10)
Tim and Moby talk energy and find out where it comes from in this BrainPOP movie.

Energy Sources  (04:41)
We all use energy to light our homes, run our cars, and cook our food. But where does all that energy come from? Learn about sources of energy in this animated movie!

Fossil Fuels  (04:01)
What makes cars go? Fossil fuels! What lights up gas grills and stoves? Fossil fuels! What's made from dead plants and animals? Why, they're fossil fuels, and there featured right here!

River Basin Managment

Dams  (03:01)
People have used dams to control their environments for thousands of years. Let Tim and Moby show you how they work!

Environmental Geography

Recycling  (02:34)
Learn how recycling can help our environment!

Water Pollution  (03:36)
What's muddying the water and what can you do about it? Only Tim will tell

Air Pollution  (02:46)
Pollution is bad for people and for the environment. Tim and Moby will show you how it is created.

AIR POLLUTION ADVANCED  (03:00)
See how smog and acid rain are formed in this animated BrainPOP movie.

Water Cycle  (02:23)
Learn about Earth's constantly moving water in this animated movie!

 

Settlement Geography

Skyscrapers  (02:54)
Learn about the tallest structures in the world, and how they stay up!

Enquiry Skills and Exam Preparation

Prewriting - Organising Your Thoughts  (02:52)
Learn how to organise your thoughts and map out your writing.

Public Speaking  (03:04)
Tim’s tips for delivering a successful oral report or speech.

Reading a Newspaper  (02:24)
Let Tim and Moby show you one of the cheapest, most entertaining and best forms of education you’ll ever find!

Research  (02:42)
See how to find secondary and primary sources of information for a research paper.

Show Not Tell  (03:27)
Vivid descriptions will transform your writing. Bring your story to life with tips from Tim and Moby.

Test Preparation  (03:00)
Learn helpful strategies for getting ready to take a test!

Test Taking Skills  (03:24)
Now that you're sitting at your desk with the Big Test staring you in the face, what should you do? Huh? Tick tock tick tock!


Agricultural Geography

Agricultural Revolution  (02:42)
Learn about how the Agricultural Revolution changed the way humans live, forever!

Chocolate  (04:13)
How does chocolate get from the tree to the candysweet shelf? Follow Tim and Moby on a mouthwatering field trip.

Climate Regions

Temperature  (03:13)
Feeling a little hot under the collar? Or are you cool as a cucumber? Learn about Temperature in this animated movie!

Deserts  (03:26)
Learn about the driest places on Earth--Deserts!

Tropical Rain Forests  (03:11)
You hear a lot about the rain forest, but what is it? Where is it? And why is it so important? Learn about these majestic forests in this movie!

South Pole  (04:46)
What makes the South Pole so cold? Tim and Moby get to the bottom of it

Earth Forces

Earth's Structure  (02:41)
We all know what it’s like on the surface of the Earth, but what happens beneath the surface, so to speak? Learn about your planet's internal structure in this animated movie!

Platetechtonics  (02:00)
The continents of Earth weren't always like you see them today. They've moved, and they're still moving! Learn about the slowly changing face of our planet in this animated movie!

Volcanoes  (03:15)
Violent eruptions! Huge plumes of gas! Rivers of molten lava! This movie investigates all this stuff and more!

Earthquakes  (02:25)
I think I felt the earth move! Tim and Moby explain earthquakes!

Ocean Floor  (02:44)
Underwater mountains and earthquakes! Tim and Moby explore what’s happening on the ocean floor.

 

Natural Hazards (excluding Earth Forces)

Floods  (03:41)
Water is essential to Life, but can you have too much of a good thing?

Hurricanes  (02:12)
Hurricanes threaten coastlines around the world every year. Let Tim and Moby walk you though the fury of one of Nature's most powerful storms!

Tornadoes  (02:13)
Nothing screams "Nature's Fury" like a tornado! Check 'em out here!

Physical Geography

Types of Rock  (02:39)
Rocks don't just stay the way they are. They may change slowly, but they do change, from one type of rock to another! Check it out here!

Weathering  (02:10)
Ever wondered how soil is made? Or how sharp mountain peaks can become soft hills? Check out our movie about weathering and learn!

Erosion  (02:13)
Learn about how erosion shapes the land over time.

Glaciers  (02:35)
See how Glaciers form and erode the land in this BrainPOP movie.

Rivers  (02:02)
Tim and Moby explain how rivers form and what makes up a river system.

Rock Cycle  (02:58)
OK, so the life of a rock doesn't sound interesting, but you'd be surprised! Tim and Moby explore the rock cycle in this animated movie!

Tides  (02:22)
Find out how the moon controls tides on Earth and how tides can provide us with energy in this BrainPOP movie!

Development and Health

Fighting Hunger  (03:36)
Learn how WAICENT's tools and the FAO's resources can help to end food insecurity!

United Nations  (03:48)
Just what do they do, anyway?

Weather and Atmosphere

Weather  (02:48)
Get the skinny on weather with Tim & Moby in this animated movie!

Wind  (03:02)
Where does the wind come from? Tim and Moby answer this question here! (hint: there is no giant fan involved.)

Temperature  (03:13)
Feeling a little hot under the collar? Or are you cool as a cucumber? Learn about Temperature in this animated movie!

Greenhouse Effect  (02:06)
Learn how the greenhouse effect works!

Humidity  (02:36)
It's not the heat; it's the humidity! But what is humidity?

Ocean Currents  (02:33)
Learn how and why ocean currents move in this BrainPOP animated movie!

Ozone  (03:07)
You hear about it all the time, but what is it? What is it made of? Where can you find it? And why the heck is there a hole in it? Tim and Moby answer these questions in this movie!

Clouds  (01:46)
Tim and Moby show you different cloud types and explain how clouds form!

Rainbows  (02:30)
Learn about that wonder of optics, the rainbow! (Unicorns not included)

Thunderstorms  (03:35)
What's that rumbling in the distance? It's a thunderstorm! Watch this movie, in which Tim and Moby investigate these awe-inspiring storms!

Snowflakes  (03:10)
Falling snow is a beautiful sight, but the hidden structure of snow is even more breathtaking! Find out how snowflakes form in this animated movie!

Water  (02:09)
Two thirds of the Earth is covered with it! It makes up most of your body weight! It's fun to swim in! It's water, and Tim and Moby dive into the subject in this animated movie!

Water Cycle  (02:23)
Learn about Earth's constantly moving water in this animated movie!

 

Population Geography

Population Growth  (02:29)
Our population is exploding! See how it affects our environment in this animated BrainPOP movie.

Seasons  (02:33)
Spring into this movie and learn about the seasons! Summer cold, and Summer hot! Um. Uh, Winter! Winter, Winter, Winter.


Tourism

The Olympics  (03:37)
Faster! Higher! Stronger! The ultimate honour in sports excellence!


Numeracy in Geography

Estimating Distance  (03:04)
Not sure how much farther you have to go? Learn how to estimate distances with Tim and Moby!

Finding precentages  (04:06)
Three methods for calculating percentages, depending upon the information you have.

Highest common factor  (02:08)
What is the highest common factor, anyway, and how do you find it? More importantly, how can you use it?

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range  (02:24)
Learn about how mean, median, mode, and range can help you work with sets!

Using a Calculator  (04:05)
Forgotten your pencil? Never mind! Here’s help on how to get the answer, fast.

Comments

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