• Home
  • Articles
    • News and Updates
    • Product Releases
    • Topic Roundup
    • Teacher Stories
    • Teaching Challenges
    • Teaching Strategies
    • Home Learning
    • Thought Leadership
    • Behind the Scenes
    • In the POP Seat™
  • Contact Us

Teaching Strategies

Educator to Educator: Harness the Power of Science Inquiry from Anywhere

April 5, 2022 by Michelle Newstadt, Ph.D.

BP science inquiry

Teachers have adapted endlessly over the last two years, shifting from in-person to remote instruction and back again, all while creating and modifying lesson plans, curating learning resources, and administering assessments. 

Middle school science teachers have a unique challenge: preparing students to think critically, analyze data, and argue and debate like scientists. This is an especially daunting task if students lack consistent access to a science lab. The pandemic shone a spotlight on a timeless need for instructional resources that are suitable for any learning environment, with an emphasis on student-driven, inquiry-based learning. 

We’re Here for Science Teachers

BrainPOP Science is built by a team of former science teachers and researchers. We know from experience how important it is to simultaneously engage students while facilitating rigorous instruction that is aligned to state and district standards.  

We continue to augment and refine BrainPOP Science to meet the needs of middle school teachers, based on insights from teachers and leaders in the science field and feedback from districts across the country.

Students Do Real Science, Virtually

Authentic science learning refers to “doing” real science, which includes analyzing data sets, constructing explanations and arguments, and applying other scientific practices to real-world problems and situations. BrainPOP Science units and lessons are organized in a scaffolded learning progression, so students build from foundational to more complex, abstract knowledge. 

“We want to help streamline the inquiry process for both students and teachers,” said Tim Powers, lead science consultant at BrainPOP. “Teachers need easy and effective ways to build scientific and data literacy in their classrooms, while finding seamless entry points for students to work through the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) process with confidence.” 

Everything Begins with Inquiry

BrainPOP Science offers a multimodal learning experience framed by a guiding question and a cohesive storyline. For example, in an earth and space science investigation, students observe patterns of the apparent motion of the planets as they prepare to explain why a year on Mars is longer than a year on Earth. 

In every question, students are guided through an immersive investigation experience, collecting evidence along the way, and leveraging digital tools that provide exposure to core science skills. BrainPOP 3D Worlds®, and simulations powered by PhET and Field Day, enable students to tinker with scientific phenomena. Datasets, presented in partnership with Tuva, provide an accessible entry point for middle school students to develop data literacy skills by engaging with data from authentic sources like NASA and NOAA.

The Takeaway

As a former science educator, I have seen inquiry-based learning ignite students’ curiosity. In the words of Jacqueline Smalls, chief programs officer of Code.org, “Science demands their action and participation.” The student-driven approach of BrainPOP Science invites learners to build multidimensional knowledge across life, physical, and earth and space science. The intuitive Claim-Evidence-Reasoning process further empowers them to apply literacy skills to science writing and argumentation as they demonstrate their newfound multidimensional science knowledge. Our goal is to enable students to engage in science and engineering practices in the classroom, and develop problem-solving skills they will apply well beyond their school years. 

Michelle Newstadt, Ph.D., is director of STEM learning design at BrainPOP. She previously taught middle school and high school science and pre-service secondary science teachers.

Filed Under

ScienceTeaching Resources

Related Articles

teacher-spring-cleaning

Spring Forward: Educator-approved Tips to Declutter and Streamline Your Day

research

Turning Around the Question: Helping Students Foster Critical Thinking and Research Skills

ed tech

3 Ways Educators Can Become Edtech Managers — In Their Classrooms

Acts of kindness

10 Acts of Kindness, Gratitude, and Giving Back to Share with Kids

Arts in the classroom

5 Teacher-Tested Tips to Make Art a Classroom Priority

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Stay Connected

Get news and updates from BrainPOP in your inbox.

Visit

BrainPOP
BrainPOP Jr. (K–3)
BrainPOP ELL
BrainPOP Español
BrainPOP Français
BrainPOP Educators

Explore

Plans and Pricing
Help Center
Contact Us
Careers
Help with Funding
Academic Standards

Search

© 1999–2022 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Trademarks and Copyrights
  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
This website uses cookies to enable you to use our website and to analyze the traffic. ACCEPTMore info
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT