Engaging Technology Games
With the end of the year quickly
approaching, I notice all the exhausted faces around me. Although the students
are burnt out, time is still valuable and teaching must continue. I have really
focused on implementing engaging technology games to review third grade
standards. I want to ensure my students are comfortable with all the material
learned this year before I send them off to fourth grade.
One of my most favorite engaging
technology games is Kahoot! If you haven’t
tried Kahoot, I highly suggest trying it out. The best part about Kahoot is it’s
a free and there are already teacher created lessons. Last week I found a
teacher made Kahoot that focused on a variety of third grade standards. The
students get to create their own names which appear on the projector throughout
the game. The students use a code that you provide them with, which allows them
to play. Once the game starts questions pop up and students must respond using
their device. After all students answer the question, the correct answer is
revealed and the students with the leading scores appear. I was shocked at how
well my students did with this. Every single one of my students were engaged
and had smiles on their faces. I also love the report side of Kahoot which
allows teachers to run data to see student strengths and weaknesses. Give
Kahoot a try if you haven’t already!
Another engaging technology game is
using Plickers to review. It’s very
similar to Kahoot, but doesn’t require as much technology. Teachers need to
have a projector and a phone with the Plickers app downloaded. The teacher can
create a mini quiz or can find one that already exists. Students use Plicker
cards that can be printed and downloaded from the Plickers website (the cards
look similar to QR codes). Once a question pops up students hold up their cards
to answer. Each side of the card has a different answer (A, B, C, D). The
student holds the card up with their answer letter facing up. The teacher then
uses their device to scan the room. The device will pick up all answers and
project them on the board. Like Kahoot, teachers can also run data on Plickers
to see student progress. Plickers is another must try!
Have you ever used Kahoot or
Plickers in your classroom? How did it go?
Hi Bianca!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned engaging students. I think it is imperative to find ways to engage students, and at this time of the year finding novel methods can be necessary to gain their attention. I have used Plickers in my classroom in the past and had mixed reviews. I loved the idea that you could create quizzes relatively quickly, but had difficulty with scanning students' cards. As an alternative, I used SMART response clickers which resembled the same idea. I found that using these strategies is a great way to gain students' attention on different topics and can spark great discussions on their thinking.
-Cory
Hi Cory!
DeleteThank you for stopping by. I did have internet issues the first time I used them. Our school building doesn't get the greatest service, so I wasn't able to use them the first time. I had to connect to the school wifi in order to use it, but once I was connected it worked out well. I have not used the SMART response clickers before, but our school does have one set. I will have to give these a shot. Thanks!
Bianca
Bianca,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post! I have never used Kahoot but my sister-in-law who is a Freshmen in college has told me about how her professors have used it and she loves it! I want to try and get familiar with the program and use it one day!
I have however used Plickers. I have a love/hate relationship with it because its very useful for collecting data and getting quick feedback. On the other hand, it becomes time consuming because some students don't hold the card correctly or my device doesn't catch all students and I have to get closer or redo my first attempt. But it is a great tool and does have its advantages.
Thanks for sharing!
Allysa,
DeleteThat's good to hear that your sister enjoys Kahoot! My students really enjoyed it as well. You made a good point about Plickers. It can be a little challenging at times, but the data collection is great.
Thanks for commenting,
Bianca