May Curriculum Connection + Spotlights | BrainPOP Educators

May Curriculum Connection + Spotlights

Posted by SM Bruner on

We’ve got some great suggestions for tying in BrainPOP with your curriculum this month. Check out these movies which coincide with important May dates in history, or our full curriculum calendar to see more:

May 1: The Empire State Building opened its doors on this date in 1931. Get the “stories” (all 102 of them!) on this NYC icon with our Skyscrapers movie.

May 3: Just breathe … On World Asthma Day, show our BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. movies on Asthma, along with Peak Flow Meter (BrainPOP).

May 5: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with our Latin Music (BrainPOP) and Mexico (K-3) movies.

May 7: On Astronomy Day, look to the stars with topics including Galaxies, Milky Way, Solar System (BrainPOP) and, for K-3, Sun and Moon.

May 8: On the anniversary of VE Day, explain its significance with our World War II movie.

May 11: Physicist Richard Feyman had a big impact on a very “small” field. On his birthday, show our Nanotechnology movie.

May 15: What moves Mickey Mouse? On the anniversary of his 1928 debut, talk about Traditional Animation.

May 17: Children’s author Eloise Greenfield (K-3) celebrates a birthday today.

May 19: Our Malcolm X movie profiles the influential civil rights leader on his birthday.

May 20: Famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart began her first solo trans-Atlantic flight on this date in 1932.

May 21: Remember our troops and their sacrifices on Armed Forces Day.

May 24: Cross those Bridges when you come to them! The Brooklyn Bridge opened on this date in 1883.

May 25: Today marks World Multiple Sclerosis Day. Help kids understand what causes this disease and show them how to support those affected by it with our Multiple Sclerosis movie.

May 26: Girls rule! Happy birthday to astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

May 29: On his birthday, introduce the class to John F. Kennedy and talk about his presidency.

May 30: Think about the meaning of Memorial Day with our Armed Forces movie.

May 31: Put it out! On World No Tobacco Day, show our Smoking movies ( BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr.) and highlight the dangers of this lethal habit.

This month, we’re also spotlighting Sports & Fitness and Practical Math resources.

The arrival of warmer weather moves kids outdoors, so why not cover some topics they can take outside with them?  Our Soccer, Football, and Fitness movies can get kids up and moving, while our Bicycle Safety movie is a perfect refresher for students before they hit the road.  With Baseball season in full swing, our Jackie Robinson movie is a valuable resource for teaching about the history of the sport.

Students often ask, “Why do we need to learn this?” Answer their question with the featured topics and resources in the Practical Math spotlight.  From Comparing Prices to Estimating, we’ve included math concepts that students can apply to everyday life outside of the classroom.

How do you plan to use BrainPOP during the month of May? Share your ideas in the comments!