All In OneSocial Studies
Written By Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)
BrainPOP Jr., a branch of the educational platform BrainPOP, was founded in 1999 by Dr. Avraham Kadar, a pediatric immunologist, as a creative method to explain complex medical conditions to his young patients. This platform was developed to make learning accessible and enjoyable for students, particularly to help them understand difficult concepts through animated movies and interactive content. The intention was to fill a gap in educational content that was not only informative but also engaging and comprehensible for children.. Over the years, BrainPOP Jr. has achieved significant milestones, including reaching millions of learners across the globe and being present in two-thirds of U.S. school districts. The platform has become a staple in educational technology with its widespread use and positive reviews from various educational reviewers and publications.
Grades: BrainPOP Jr. is targeted at students in kindergarten through third grade.
Cost: $119 to $159 a year if you also want to include Brain POP. The cost of BrainPOP Jr. varies depending on the subscription plan, with options for monthly or annual payments that offer comprehensive access to all content and features.
Differentiation
What sets BrainPOP Jr. apart is its focus on early learners (grades K-3), offering content that is tailored to their cognitive and developmental levels. The platform features a combination of movies, quizzes, and interactive learning activities designed to build foundational knowledge and boost comprehension. The use of animated characters like Moby the robot and Annie, who engage with the topics in a fun and relatable manner, enhances its uniqueness (Wikipedia).
What it is
BrainPOP Jr. is an educational platform designed to introduce younger students to a variety of subjects through animated videos, interactive quizzes, and hands-on activities. It aims to create a foundational understanding of various topics, making it easier for children to grasp more complex subjects as they advance in their education.
How it works
The core of BrainPOP Jr.'s functionality lies in its engaging, short animated movies that cover a broad range of subjects. Each movie is paired with quizzes and activities that reinforce the material. The platform also offers features like lesson plans for educators and parents to help integrate these resources into a more structured learning path (Wikipedia).
Content
The educational subjects included on BrainPOP Jr. are diverse and cover a wide array of areas:
Pros
Users of BrainPOP Jr. often praise its high-quality, engaging videos that simplify complex topics for young learners. The platform is noted for its ease of use, allowing children to navigate and explore various subjects independently. The integration of humor and relatable characters makes learning a more enjoyable and memorable experience (Wikipedia).
Cons
While BrainPOP Jr. is highly acclaimed, it has areas that could be improved. For instance, the depth of content in some subject areas might be too basic for more advanced students within the target age group. Additionally, the cost of a subscription might be a barrier for some families considering the platform for homeschooling.
Pro Tips
Tips from parents on maximizing the use of BrainPOP Jr. include incorporating the videos and quizzes into daily learning routines to reinforce subjects learned in school or other settings. Parents also suggest using the platform's tracking tools to monitor progress and areas where additional focus might be needed (Wikipedia).
How to integrate this curriculum into homeschooling
BrainPOP Jr. can be effectively integrated into a homeschool curriculum by using it as a supplementary tool to introduce new topics or reinforce existing knowledge. Its structured yet flexible format allows parents to build custom learning paths that align with their educational goals for their children.
Ideal user
BrainPOP Jr. is ideally suited for young learners who are beginning to build their foundational knowledge across multiple subjects. It is especially beneficial for children who enjoy learning through visual and auditory means, given the platform's heavy reliance on animated videos and interactive content.
Not a fit for
This platform may not be suitable for students who require more in-depth or advanced academic challenges, as the content is specifically designed for early learners. Additionally, children who thrive in less structured or more exploratory educational environments might find the format too guided.
Ways to get it
BrainPOP Jr. is accessible through its website, with various subscription options available for families, schools, and homeschoolers. The platform also offers a free trial period, allowing users to explore the content before committing to a purchase.
Top Secular Alternatives for All-in-One Curriculum:
Here are our favorite other all-in-one options for different types of learners.
Book Lovers, Gifted and Profoundly Gifted Learners: Torchlight Curriculum
For Gifted, Workbook-Lovers: Critical Thinking Co
Nature-Based Curriculum for creative, Hands-On Learners: Blossom and Root
For older kids (4th grade and up) Adaptive learning app for kids who love video games : BrainPOP Homeschool
For Middle and High School Students: Build Your Library
For kids who love watching videos, here are highly Engaging Free YouTube videos for middle and high school: Crash Course
For Project-Based, Standards-Aligned Curriculum and Online School: Oak Meadow
For Free or Freemium online curriculum: Khan Academy Kids, Khan Academy or FishTank Learning
For more Traditional/schoolish Standards-aligned adaptive online learning: Time4Learning
Affiliate Disclaimer: Our review of BrainPop Jr. is unbiased, however we do now have an affiliate relationship with BrainPOP which means that we receive a small commission if you purchase a membership through our site. Thank you for your support!
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Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)
For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.
Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.
I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.
I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.
During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.
I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.
In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.
My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.
My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.
I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.
In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.
And I love to learn!
