Rare Bird, Inc. | Articles : BrainPOP

	Web Reviews From 1997 to the present, President/Creative Director, Jim Cota has been writing informative reviews of Web sites and other internet related issues for the Indianapolis Business Journal. If you've missed the articles in print you can catch up on past stories here. Articles are reprinted with permission of the Indianapolis Business Journal, copyright 1997 - 2005, IBJ Corp.

BrainPOP Turns Dads Into Geniuses

You know that dream where you're standing naked in front of a class and you're supposed to be delivering a report on a topic about which you have no knowledge? As we get older, it's common for the situation to change from a classroom to a board room, but it's essentially the same.

Lately, for me this dream has taken a decidedly disturbing turn. While my kids are too young for this to have happened to me yet, I'm beginning to dread the day that they come home from school and need help with homework that I don't comprehend. "Dad, what type of organism is a protist and how is it crucial to the building blocks of life?" Or, "Dad, why did Benedict Arnold want to surrender West Point to the British?" Or, "Dad, what's the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" (Oh, wait, I know that one.)

Luckily, I've discovered BrainPOP, a fascinating site in the same vein as How Stuff Works, except BrainPOP is intended especially for kids. (Not that parent's won't learn a few things, too.) Topics covered include Science, Math, Social Studies, English, Technology, and Health. Each subject contains a 3-4 minute Animated Movie, an Interactive Quiz, an Experiment, a Comic Strip, a How-to hands on application, a Timeline and a print-able Activity Page. The movies use the technology of Macromedia Flash to present topics in short animated movies that explain each facet in detail. Each movie is made in accordance to the National Science Education Standards for 5th - 8th grade. There is also a moderated bulletin board for kids to post messages to each other on any topic they choose. On any given day, you might find them discussing broken hearts, room decorating, or "annoying little brothers".

The site allows you to view two topics a day for free. If you find that you need more access than that, you can join for about $35 a year and get unlimited access to all of the content. New topics and movies are added at a rate of about 5 a month, and old content is never deleted, so the library is steadily growing.

Many of you may find it helpful that this award-winning site also features very up-to-date information about timely topics that your kids may be wondering about, like SARS, Airport Security, and more. Additionally, you might find the site is a good starting point for opening conversation about a variety of topics important to you and your kids. Things like Online Safety, Drug Abuse, Puberty, Reproduction, and more.

The site is beautifully designed and seems to be lovingly maintained. The topics and explanations are clear and concise, and I think the price is a bargain. Overall, it's an A+.