Diagram Label Implementation Strategies

The Diagram Label Challenge task asks students to label a diagram to illustrate a concept from a BrainPOP movie.  Here are some ideas for making the most of this activity:

• Assess prior knowledge. Have students complete the Challenge before watching the movie to assess prior knowledge of the topic. Observe as they complete the Diagram Label Challenge task, and adjust your teaching to their needs accordingly.
• Watch the movie first. Students watch the BrainPOP movie before completing the associated Challenge. In this way, the Challenge can serve as an assessment of what they learned about the topic.
• Watch the movie again. Once students review the diagram they are to label, they may want to watch the movie again, pausing at the points in the movie that include the information they need. They may want to take notes as they watch.
• Use as a springboard for discussion. Challenges are intended to encourage students to think holistically and consider how concepts within a topic are interrelated. Have a class discussion by asking the following questions about the Diagram Label task: What does this diagram have to do with what you’re studying? How will labeling the diagram help you?  What strategies did you use when deciding on how to label? Which labels were the most challenging to place and why? Which were the least challenging and why? How does labeling this diagram further your understanding of the concept?
• Use as a cooperative learning activity. Invite students to work collaboratively with a partner or small group and explain to each other their thinking as they select where to place each label.
• Create an offline Diagram Label Challenge task. Have pairs create an offline Challenge based on a different concept, but on the same topic. First, they are to draw an unlabeled diagram and write the words for the labels in a word box.  Then have pairs swap their diagrams and challenge each other to label them.