Informative,quirky videos that showcase difficult concepts in Biology.
Community Review for Brightstorm
My Take
The Brightstorm videos are informative and provide students with an appropriate level of insight for each topic. The presenters are effective and quirky which the students like. I like the simple analogies that the presenter often uses to show difficult concepts such as using a pair of scissors for enzymes and activation energy. The videos lend themselves to a flipped classroom environment and can easily be assigned for homework. I used the enzymes video with small groups as part of a stations lab on enzymes. Originally, certain videos were free to access, but it appears as if that aspect has changed and it now requires a fee. The fact that it the videos are no longer free is a disadvantage especially since there are so many free and easily accessible videos on the internet.
How I Use It
I used Brightstorm in our multipurpose room on large screen televisions for groups of 8 to 10 students to watch the enzymes video. My students were divided into groups and they were required to visit each station on enzymes. One station was a manipulative with models, one station was online animations about enzymes, another station was a lab on paperase, and the Brightstorm video was the final station. The video was used to enhance student understanding of enzymes and activation energy. The students were required to label an activation energy graph along with the video. I used the video and stations in both my on-level Biology classes and my pre-AP Biology classes. The Brightstorm videos are great for pre-AP level but they are also easily understood by most on-level students.