Have your students signed up for My BrainPOP? If so, they’ll be able to take snapshots during Guts and Bolts game play! MyBrainPOP is available to BrainPOP Educators with 24/7 district- or school-wide subscriptions, and is easy for you to sign your students up. Check out our My BrainPOP FAQs for more info.

The SnapThought® tool allows students to capture significant moments in their gameplay with opportunities for brief written reflection. To use the tool, start by making sure students are logged into My BrainPOP with their own individual accounts. Once students are logged in, theSnapThought® tool will appear below any games that offer this capability.

During gameplay, students can click on the SnapThought® tool up to 5 times per game. A thumbnail is generated and stored on the bottom left of the screen.  At any point in the game, students can click on their snapshot(s) and type a caption or response to a prompt, and save or submit it to your teacher’s account where you can view their data.

Keep in mind that students can take a snapshot during the game and then add the captions later. You may want to provide this alternative to avoid interrupting the flow of game play.  You can use the snapshots to facilitate discussion around game play and strategies, or have students submit the snapshots to you for assessment or accountability. Here are a few ideas for using the snapshot tool in Guts and Bolts:

Level 1: Take a snapshot before completing the level. Write your prediction about what you think needs to be done in order to complete the level. Check your prediction afterwards and see if you were correct.

Level 2: Take a snapshot after completing the level. Where might each specific pipe be connected to/from in the body? Why do you think so?

Level 3: Look at the tray on the right and review the clue. Take a snapshot and write about what is different on this level.  Is there any other way to connect the pipes?

Level 4: Take a snapshot of the pipe fittings and analyze their shapes. How do the fittings relate to the fluid flow? Why is oxygen going into the intestines? Why is carbon dioxide leaving the intestines? Where are the nutrients possibly going?

Level 5: Take a snapshot of the oxygen input pipe from the trachea. What body parts might the mechanical part represent? How does the ‘diaphragm’ inflate the ‘lungs’? Where might this blood be coming from and going to?

Level 6: Take a snapshot to show how the organs are integrated (the body systems.) Explain where you chose to start and why.

Level 7: Take a snapshot that shows the blood flow path in the game’s heart after the level is complete. What does the outside right side of the screen represent? What does the outside left of the screen represent?

Level 8: Take a snapshot of the lung model.  How are the parts of the cardiovascular system inter-related?

Level 9: Take a snapshot after unsuccessful trial.  What do you think might have gone wrong? How does the brain’s need for nutrients affect the way the system works?  What might be incorporated in the next level (the digestive system)?

Level 10: Take a snapshot of the flow that includes the digestive system. What system is represented on the right side of the screen? How do you know?

Level 11: Take a snapshot of the fully functioning system that includes the respiratory system. What does each system contribute to the cycle? What does each need from the others in order to function?