Apps
There are a million different ways to run an online class, but between grading and planning, it’s hard to get yourself familiar with a new platform. Keeping students engaged while they are sitting in front of a computer is the monumental task with which teachers all over the world have been charged. Nearpod is an interactive slide show that you can incorporate into your already-made slides or you can also utilize their lesson plans to introduce or review a concept. Here are some cool ways you can use Nearpod in your virtual classroom to help rock your student engagement.
Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored promotion for Nearpod. We’re simply loving the many ways teachers can use it and wanted to share!
1. Have students share their ideas using the collaborative board
This feature is wonderful for students to see and share ideas. It allows you, as the teacher, to pose open-ended questions for your class to answer. This is great for differentiation because it gives a voice to your students who love to share, but it also allows your quieter students to have an opportunity to share their ideas without having to speak in front of the class.
*But wait! I have a kid in my class who would thrive off writing “butt” for every answer! What should I do?*
Nearpod thought of everything with this one! There is an option for you to review and approve the answers before they are shared with the class, because, let’s face it, “Jesus is always the answer” is bound to come up at least once and everyone is going to look at you like a heathen when you say it’s wrong.
2. Use PhET for math and science review games.
Just learned fractions and ready for independent practice? The PhET element allows you to assign math and science games to your students to complete. As a teacher, you can check their progress and understanding of the concepts as they finish to determine who has mastered the skill and who still needs more practice.
3. Make your sub planning a breeze with their ready-made lessons
Every teacher knows that being absent makes more work than coming to school. You can be basically dead but still contemplate coming to work so that you don’t have to write sub plans. The great thing about Nearpod is that they have ready-made lessons available for you to assign to your students while you are away.
4. Differentiate your lesson using the Draw It tool
Remember before the pandemic, when we used these tools called paper and pencils? Do you also remember always catching that one kid drawing when you thought they were taking notes? Some kids learn better that way! Well, fear no more! Nearpod has something for that. The Draw It tool allows your students to digitally draw on diagrams and pictures to demonstrate their understanding of visual concepts.
5. Use Time to Climb for a class competition
Your students are going to want to turn on their cameras for this one! If they are anything like mine, they love a good game. Using “Time to Climb” will give your students a fun activity to show off what they just learned!
6. Introduce new concepts or review old ones with Flocabulary
This is arguably the coolest part of Nearpod! Flocabulary is a set of educational hip hop music videos that introduce and review concepts from multiplication and division all the way to U.S. History and current events. Questions are asked after each video to assess the students’ understanding, but BEWARE! The songs are so catchy that you and the students will be singing them all day long.
The best thing about Nearpod is that you can tell, in real-time, when the students complete each activity. You can use the timers to pace your lessons and track student progress. Teaching virtually is hard. Nearpod is a great resource to make sure that all your students are getting the information they need in a way that is engaging and fun!
