These movies are an excellent resource for struggling readers who can be engaged without being slowed down by reading.
Community Review for BrainPOP Jr.
My Take
I find this to be a good teaching tool. I prefer to use it for individual use or small group rather than whole group. My struggling readers lose so much of the core meaning when trying to read information that this allows them to listen to it first which allows them to understand the topic before pushing through any kind of text.
How I Use It
I use these movies with my low readers to connect what we are doing in other subject areas to gain more information. For example when learning about the water cycle, I can put this movie as a center for children to watch and listen to for repeat information or a lesson in note taking. I have also used the program at the start of a unit to give an overview and then brainstorm what else we would like to learn/explore.