Make-a-Movie Letter-Writing Tips

Make-a-Movie begins with students either writing their own BrainPOP-style letter with a topic-related question or choosing a pre-written letter. Following are some tips and strategies for when students write original opening letters:

  • Avoid yes/no, or close-ended, questions.
  • Have students watch the BrainPOP movie first, and think about an aspect they want to focus on in their own movie. Alternatively, have students come up with a question before watching the BrainPOP movie.
  • Prompt students to write a question related to the BrainPOP movie, but focusing on a different aspect of the topic or one that requires deeper thinking.
  • Teacher writes the letter as a way to focus in on a certain aspect of a topic.
  • Students write a letter that they then swap with another student to answer.
  • Encourage students to address an entirely new topic that isn’t answered yet by a BrainPOP topic. Provide them with a foundation topic and let them utilize BrainPOP’s asset library.

Letter to Tim and Moby at BrainPOP