BrainPop's Graphs

Tech Tool: Graphs Video

Overview

Brief Description of Tech Tool: Join the animated characters, Tim and Moby, as they go on a hunt for the "Monster of Youth." Along the way, they must decipher clues using various types of graphs such as bar graphs, pie graphs and line graphs. This video is a great introduction to these different types of graph and to why we might use one over another.

Technical and Cost Considerations: This video is accessible through BrainPop which is a paid-subscription site. While there are some free movies for teachers to preview, this is not one of them. Teachers should consider other sources if they do not have a school subscription to BrainPop.

Evaluation

Description of Learning Activity: "Graphs" serves as a great introduction to the three main kinds of graphs and would work as a introductory video or a quick review. 

1. Learning Activity Types

• LA-Present: Tim and Moby help make the presentation of new content/ideas fun. Jokes and a quest are paired with the new concepts. 

2. What Mathematics Is Being Learned?

Standards

This video will help teachers give students the resources they need to successfully meet the following math practice:

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4. Model with mathematics.

Additionally, as I am aiming to connect math and science, this activity could fit (depending on how it is adapted) the following Grade 5 Next Generation Science Practice:

• 4. Analyzing and interpreting data

Proficiency Strands

• Strategic Competence: This video will help students increase their strategic competence; they are introduced to various graphs and most importantly where, when and why they might use them. Presented with this knowledge, students can use this information to be more strategic with their data analysis in the future. 

Additional Comments

Overall, this is a fairly basic introduction to the different types of graphs. Teachers who are looking to extend students understanding of the various types of graphs would be best served to look elsewhere. 

3. How Is the Mathematics Represented?

As one would expect, the mathematics in this video is presented graphically. The simple presentation of different types of graphs could be boring. However, thanks to dynamic representations, the information is clearly broken down and explained.


4. What Role Does Technology Play?

"Graphs" allows students to access the different types of graphs and the when, where and why behind each type. They get exposure to these ideas in a quick, fun video that incorporates jokes and a fun storyline. The only disadvantage here is that more of the video's time seems to be devoted to the jokes and storyline than to the different types of graphs.

Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning

• Accessing Information: Every teacher knows that students sometimes have a tendency to tune us out. This video allows students to access new information about graphs from a different source. It's harder to tune out a dynamic video than your teacher. 

5. How Does the Technology Fit or Interact with the Social Context of Learning?

As I previously mentioned in the "Powers of 10" video evaluation, videos tend to be more of individual activities. Specifically with this BrainPop, I think it makes sense to let the video run its course without stopping for discussion. A short follow-up in class might help students consolidate all that they learned, but I certainly don't think social collaboration is required with this tech resource.


6. Additional Comments

My suggestion would be to pair this with the first science experiment of the year. That way students already think about math as being intricately linked with science. Furthermore, by presenting this video (hopefully prior to data summary), teachers could set students up for independence during data summary. In other words, armed with their new knowledge, students could be empowered to debate the best way to summarize their collected data. Would it be with a line graph? A bar graph? Or would a pie graph work better? Starting these conversations early in the year will help empower students  to be more independent later in the year.