When I started using Nearpod, I realized that differentiating my classroom didn’t have to be this complicated or this messy! In my kindergarten classroom, I’ve created digital differentiated literacy centers with Nearpod that are super engaging and easy to use, resulting in an engaging learning experience. Plus, every student can be working on a task at their own level with minimal prep on my part.

New to Nearpod? Teachers can sign up for a free Nearpod account below to access these resources, interactive activities, and engaging lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

Differentiating instruction in kindergarten with Nearpod

Here’s how it works

In Nearpod, I found a few different lessons in the lesson library and also created a few of my own. Each one addressed a different word or work skill that my differentiated kindergarten classroom needed to practice. For example, this week, I prepped a lesson on sight words for my on-level students, a review lesson on letter sounds for my strugglers, and a lesson on digraphs for those who were ready for a challenge. You’ll see the different lessons at the top of my Nearpod library, which is pictured below.

Every lesson from Nearpod’s lesson library is editable. If you find a lesson that is not quite what you need, you can edit it! Then, once I have all my lessons ready in my library, I launch each of them as “Student-Paced” so that they can access it during centers for the entire week and work on it independently. I typically do this on Sunday nights or Monday mornings before the students arrive.

How I differentiate for my students

When doing differentiated kindergarten centers, I first create small group of students by ability and assign an index card for each group for their specific lesson. Then, I write the lesson code for their version of word work on that card as well. That way, during center time, students can quickly find and enter the lesson code that is right for them, and I don’t need to be there to help them. (If you’ve ever taught kindergarten, you know that anything your students can do without you is a dream come true!)

From this point on, everything is smooth sailing! During center time, my Word Work center students grab their iPads, type their own code into Nearpod and are instantly able to work on activities on their own level. You’ll see below that two students are sitting in the same group at that same table, but are doing two totally different activities, each at their own level and pace. I’ve even noticed a huge decrease in off-task behavior since starting these centers because Nearpod lessons are so engaging and fun!

Once students finish the lesson, all their work is saved for me in my Nearpod reports (Goodbye piles of worksheets!) That way, I can use it as accountability for center time AND as a formative assessment for those specific literacy skills. I don’t know about you, but anything that accomplishes multiple tasks at once is a winner in my classroom! I love having those reports available to quickly and easily assess student learning. Whether you’re planning centers for differentiated reading instruction or other core subjects, Nearpod will you accommodate the diverse range of learning styles in every classroom.

Benefits of differentiating instruction for kindergarten using Nearpod

It’s easy to see why Nearpod Centers have quickly become a favorite for both me and my students. But in case you’re still not convinced, here are my top 4 reasons you should give differentiated centers a try!

• Allows for fast, low-prep differentiation – No more waiting in line at the copier!!!
• Nearpod Library has thousands of existing lessons ready to be assigned to your students
• Students are more engaged because they’re working on exciting digital tasks that are just right for them
• Reports are saved in real-time and can be used as formative assessment (and it’s saved in Nearpod for you, so you can’t misplace it!)

In today’s dynamic kindergarten learning environment, educators are constantly seeking innovative tools to engage young learners. Nearpod emerges as a game-changer, seamlessly integrating student interest into lessons aligned with the Common Core standards. Through its interactive platform, the learning process becomes a captivating journey tailored to individual needs, catering even to struggling learners.

New to Nearpod? Teachers can sign up for a free Nearpod account below to access these resources, interactive activities, and engaging lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post Differentiating instruction in kindergarten with Nearpod appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

For teachers looking to use virtual reality (VR) to promote equity in education, there are several key benefits. Firstly, VR breaks down barriers by providing equal access to immersive learning experiences, regardless of students’ backgrounds or locations. Also, It fosters hands-on, experiential learning, helping students better understand complex topics. VR caters to diverse learning styles, making it easier to personalize instruction. Additionally, it encourages collaboration and teamwork among students, improving communication skills. Overall, VR in education offers the potential to enhance learning and create a more equitable classroom for all students.

New to Nearpod? Teachers can sign up for free below to access the resources in this post and create their own interactive lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

Nearpod’s Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trips

Virtual Reality is one of my favorite Nearpod features. It’s exciting and engaging and brings a real-world aspect to lessons that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Students all come from different backgrounds and enter school with different life experiences, but VR lessons can fill in those gaps and provide students with meaningful experiences that achieve equity in schools. VR headsets are not needed since students can access these immersive learning experiences on their own devices.

How to leverage virtual reality (VR) to build equity in education

Here are 3 ways you can use Nearpod VR in education to build equity and engage your students.

1. Build background knowledge to bridge learning gaps

I teach kindergarten in sunny, warm Florida, so my students have lots of experience with warm weather and sunny beaches. However, every Fall when we learn about the changing seasons, my students usually have no idea what this looks like. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Nearpod VR lessons so that all my students can have this experience. For example, when we read books about picking apples, I’ll first do a Nearpod VR lesson using a 360 photo from an apple orchard so they can see and imagine what picking apples would be like. Or, when we study leaves changing in science, I’ll take them on a virtual field trip to a New England forest where they can see the different colored leaves falling from the trees.

The VR States and Territories lessons are also fantastic ways to build background knowledge, especially when these places are settings of books you’re reading. For example, if you’re reading a book set in Alaska, but you teach in Oklahoma, the “Getting to Know Alaska” lesson would be the perfect way to give students a basic understanding of what it’s like there through using VR in education. These lessons also focus on the history of these locations and the features that make them unique, so all students can gain a deeper understanding without ever having to leave the classroom.

2. Connect students to the real world

In the classroom, students are most engaged when lessons connect to their own lives or the real world. Teaching social and emotional learning skills is a huge passion of mine, and this is the perfect place to incorporate real-world situations. If you’re teaching your students about self-assertion, why not immerse them in a real-life environment with virtual reality in education to help them practice this skill? Use the Self-Assertion lesson to help students assess when to assert themselves and practice techniques for advocating for themselves. In these Nearpod Exploration lessons, students analyze their VR experience and look at the world through a critical lens by completing the corresponding graphic organizers, collaborative discussions, and polls. This way, when students do encounter a situation where they need to use that skill, they will have a tangible experience to draw upon.

For those teaching secondary grades, Nearpod’s College Tours lessons are also fantastic and include universities from not just the United States, but the world! Instead of just telling students about preparing for the next step, show them! These campus tours show students different areas of the university and foster discussions about what features they like and if they’d like to attend school there. This builds equity in education as it allows any student to explore campuses without the limitation of travel. For a student like me who attended college out-of-state, VR education would have been incredibly helpful when I was applying and visiting with my parents.

3. Build engagement

Engagement is key in the classroom. You could have the most worthwhile content, but if your students aren’t engaged, they’ll never know it. Sometimes our “usual” just gets a little stale for students. But in the several times, I’ve done VR lessons with my class, I have never once heard a “Do we have to?” or a “This is boring”. They are all smiles and 100% excited to be learning.

While some of my VR lessons are self-made, the Nearpod VR lessons are ready-to-use and beautifully connect your content standards to virtual reality. For example, in the lesson Empires: Ancient Egypt lesson, students can use what they know about patterns to analyze the Egyptian pyramids and see where a pattern may have been used. This is especially helpful for students who are visual learners, further promoting equity in education.

The best part of these Nearpod VR Explorations lessons is that they are all high-quality, research-based, and created with best practices in mind to ensure that they are just as educational as they are engaging.

Start using Nearpod’s VR Field Trips to build equity in education

Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies have the power to revolutionize education systems by creating immersive virtual environments that promote equity and equality among students. VR technology transports students to entirely virtual worlds, both of which can bridge gaps in access to resources and opportunities. By integrating VR and AR into educational practices, educators can provide all students with equitable learning experiences, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. These technologies have the potential to transform traditional education systems into inclusive environments where every student can thrive and succeed.

I hope you and your students enjoy exploring the world with VR in education! There are plenty of lessons ready to go in the Nearpod library and plenty more 360 Cities photos for you to use to create your own. Happy Exploring!

New to Nearpod? Teachers can sign up for free below to access the resources in this post and create their own interactive lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post How to leverage virtual reality (VR) to build equity in education appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

According to Cambridge Dictionary, a digital native is a person who is very familiar with digital technology, computers, etc., because they have grown up with them. As of right now, this group includes Generation Z and Millennials. For these current and future generations, learning digital citizenship skills is significant in this growing digital world.

Today’s students are digital natives

Today’s students are digital natives, and technology is their first language. Regardless of what kinds of limits and parameters adults set, our students are going to be online a lot throughout their lives. Students as young as 3 are using tablets, and students as young as middle school are enrolled in online classes.

In a world where platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are integral parts of daily life, responsible digital citizenship is crucial. These platforms are filled with various content, including dramatic posts, negative comments, product advertisements, photoshopped images, and fake news articles. For children and teenagers trying to navigate this digital landscape, it can be overwhelming.

So rather than only filtering or limiting things online (which we still need to do!), it’s essential that we also teach students to be productive members of the online community and how to process their emotions for all those times when we aren’t watching.

What is a responsible digital citizen?

A responsible digital citizen, as described by Common Sense Education, encompasses all of the following traits through their online presence:

• Identity: Digital citizens are mindful of how they represent themselves online, maintaining a positive and authentic online identity.
• Privacy & Security: They take measures to protect their personal information and online accounts, ensuring their online activities are secure from potential threats.
• Relationships & Cyberbullying: Responsible digital citizenship fosters healthy online relationships and are vigilant against cyberbullying, treating others with respect and empathy.
• Copyright & Fair Use: They respect intellectual property rights, acknowledging and following copyright laws when using and sharing digital content.
• Information Literacy: Digital citizens possess the skills to critically evaluate and discern credible information from misinformation and fake news, promoting digital literacy.
• Digital Footprint: They are aware that their online actions leave a trace, and they manage their digital footprint by making responsible choices and being mindful of the consequences.

Understanding how to be a good digital citizen is crucial for the younger generation, as it helps them navigate the online world effectively. It helps them navigate the internet with awareness and responsibility. When adults set a positive example by commenting respectfully and critically evaluating information, it sets a standard for students to follow, promoting a safer and more constructive online environment for all.

How to turn digital natives into responsible digital citizens

1. Teach foundational digital literacy skills

In the digital age, teaching foundational digital literacy skills to digital natives is essential. Digital literacy empowers students to navigate technology safely and effectively, fostering global connectivity and enhancing their information literacy. Proficiency in digital tools also opens doors to diverse career opportunities. Moreover, digital literacy is crucial for discerning credible information from misinformation, promoting ethical online behavior, and responsible digital citizenship. It’s a shared effort to ensure students are authentically digital and media literate, preparing them for the challenges of the digital world.

2. Promote healthy digital habits year-round

There’s a lot that we can teach about digital literacy, but these are a few big points I always try to hit with my students to teach what is a good digital citizen:

• Limit personal information shared online
• Think before you post! Your online presence is like a digital Sharpie, it can never truly be erased
• Understand where your information is coming from and cite it correctly
• Know when to trust a source and when to check your facts (#fakenews)
• Respect the person behind the screen

Every time technology is integrated into a lesson, remind them of these healthy online habits.

3. Educate on responsible content creation and awareness of privacy and security

Empower digital natives to create content responsibly by sharing about copyright laws, fair use, and why it’s essential to give credit when using others’ work. Encourage their creativity while emphasizing ethical practices when making and sharing digital content.

Alongside these skills, help students understand the importance of privacy and online security through real life examples. This means teaching them how to manage passwords effectively, explaining the benefits of two-factor authentication, and discussing the risks of sharing personal information online. Use this as a chance to highlight the dangers of oversharing and stress the role of privacy settings on social media in protecting their online identity.

4. Encourage a growth mindset

Encouraging a growth mindset is crucial in helping students become responsible digital citizens. Just as in any skill, digital citizenship requires practice and continuous learning. As educators, we hold a unique position to instill this mindset in our students. By emphasizing that responsible online behavior is a skill that can evolve and improve over time, we empower them to embrace challenges and learn from their mistakes. In doing so, we inspire students to continually develop their digital citizenship skills and become confident in their online presence.

5. Lead by example

Educators should lead by example on ways to be a good digital citizen. Keep an empathetic and considerate online presence. Show students how to have meaningful and respectful online interactions and why it’s essential to fact-check information before sharing. Most importantly, create an open and welcoming atmosphere for digital natives to come to you with questions and seek guidance whenever they need it.

Curriculum resources to teach responsible digital citizens

Nearpod’s 21st Century Readiness K-12 Program offers resources to embed 21st-century skills like social emotional learning, digital citizenship, and college and career readiness into every classroom. The Digital Citizenship Curriculum collection includes technology applications, coding essentials, media literacy, and more. We’ve teamed up with experts like Common Sense Education to create these resources that are sure to put your students on the right path.

Below you’ll see a preview of our digital citizenship resources included in the 21st Century Readiness Program. There’s something for every grade level and topic included. Every lesson includes interactive videos and activities that you can launch to extend or re-teach.

New to Nearpod? Make sure you’re signed up to access standards-aligned lessons and activities!

Teachers can sign up for free below to access and create interactive lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.

Explore Nearpod’s unlocked free digital citizenship lessons here!

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post How to turn digital natives into responsible digital citizens appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

New to Nearpod? Sign up for free below to access these virtual reality social studies resources, interactive activities, and engaging lessons.

Make social studies lessons more relatable. Use #VR! Click To Tweet

3 Ways to Use Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trips for Social Studies

Virtual reality field trips expand horizons beyond the classroom. You can take students anywhere in the world right from their desks to create interactive social studies experiences. Here are 3 engaging ways to use VR in social studies this year!

1. Understand legacies through locations

Another great use of VR is to bring historical figures to life in your classroom. We often read to students about the accomplishments of these famous people, but that can be very teacher-centered and one-sided. It’s a much more powerful experience when students can move beyond the text and literally walk in the shoes of notable humans. Through exploring these locations, students can use their observations to think critically and discover their impact rather than simply read about it.

For example, the VR lessons on the life of Martin Luther King Jr. each provide a deeper look into who he was as a person. Sure, you can view his speech online and read about his life, but why not instead immerse yourself in the locations that shaped who he became? By visiting the actual site of his “I Have a Dream” speech or exploring Morehouse College, where he spent his teenage years, students can see the things that helped create his legacy.

Examples of social studies virtual field trips:

• Abraham Lincoln: In this Nearpod virtual reality lesson, students investigate the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln, including the Gettysburg Address and the Homestead Act of 1862. Students take virtual field trips and create a poster to share what they learned.
• Rosa Parks: In this Nearpod VR lesson, students investigate the life and legacy of Rosa Parks, including her work as a Civil Rights activist and serving as a secretary in the NAACP. Students take virtual field trips and create a poster to share what they learned.
• Cesar Chavez: In this Nearpod VR lesson, students investigate the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, including the founding of the National Farmworkers Association. Students take virtual field trips and create a poster to share what they learned.
• Nelson Mandela: In this Nearpod VR lesson, students investigate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, including co-founding the “Spear of the Nation” and the South African presidency. Students take virtual field trips and create a poster to share what they learned.
• Exploring Ancient Empires: In this VR lesson, students learn about the world’s great empires as they explore the ancient ruins of Egypt, Greece, China, and the Inca Empire via virtual reality and make predictions about values and daily life at the time.

2. Explore diverse cultures

As large and diverse as our country is, many students have limited experience outside of their hometown. VR can be used as a quick lesson hook to activate background knowledge before diving deeper into the content. VR integrates seamlessly into the Nearpod platform, so you can take a quick field trip to a location and then jump right back into your core lesson without missing a beat. Explore famous landmarks across all 7 continents. Journey through nature in our country’s national parks. Travel to key sites from world events like the French Revolution and World War II. There are countless field trips available already. It’s easy to find social studies virtual field trips that support your lesson goals!

3. History from a first-person perspective

Many of the events covered in history books have occurred in places students have never seen and probably won’t visit in the near future. Social studies virtual field trips are a great way to transport students to these sites! They can then connect what they see to the events they read about. Nearpod’s Social Studies Program leverages VR experiences to support deeper thinking about the events that shaped our country. Virtual field trips like these not only show students where those events occurred but also explore what it might have felt like actually to be there. This new personal, possibly emotional, connection to these events will give students an entirely new take on history and a deeper understanding of how these events impacted lives.

The Nearpod Social Studies Program is a K-12 supplemental curricular program that works with you to create immersive social studies experiences that make students a part of every instructional moment. Get 2,500+ standards-aligned interactive lessons, videos, and activities exclusive to the program to help you make every lesson memorable, bring social studies to life, and give students more ways to learn. This program is available as an add-on for school or district licenses.

Start using social studies virtual field trips with Nearpod

With so many places to visit and endless opportunities to integrate Virtual Reality into your Social Studies content, what are you waiting for? Start exploring the world with your students today! 

New to Nearpod? Sign up for free below to access these virtual reality resources, interactive activities, and engaging lessons.

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post 3 Ways to Use Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trips for Social Studies appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

Download free lessons

How can you teach current events in the classroom?

Too often, our curriculum leaves students asking “When am I going to use this in real life?” or “What does this have to do with me?” That’s why I love throwing in current events in the classroom that relate to our core content focus. I’ll pull from local news outlets, YouTube videos, even Tweets, to help connect content to student’s lives beyond the classroom. Using these resources as hooks or extensions is a great way to answer those “Why” questions.

In our recent Science unit on pollution and human impact, I used sources on issues local to our Florida community. We learned about beach erosion, water pollution, and invasive species like the lionfish and the Burmese python. Student engagement was through the roof! More than current and interesting, it was close enough to home that students felt they could actually make a difference. Watching my students not only invest in a topic, but want to take action, is enough to move this teacher to tears!

Resources like Nearpod are helpful for the busy teacher struggling to find current events. Once you start looking, you’ll find plenty of topics that can meet your needs.

Why are current events in the classroom important?

In our globally connected community, information is traveling at an unprecedented pace. Information is at our fingertips thanks to the internet––and the struggle to sift through it to find credible, balanced information is all too real (fake news, anyone?). It is more important than ever for our students to learn to listen to various viewpoints, synthesize  information, and form their own opinions. It’s also important that they begin to see themselves as actors of change from a young age. Implementing current events in the classroom is a strategy that will keep students aware of real world problems and situations.

What do you do in a current event lesson?

The best way to start off a current event lesson is to see what students already know, or think they know, about the issue. Nearpod’s lessons use the Collaborate feature to spark conversation.

Browse lesson collection

We must provide students with a variety of different viewpoint as they are bombarded with information and opinions daily. It is crucial that students learn to evaluate sources. Each Nearpod current events lesson does this using a variety of sources, such as online articles and informative videos. They encourage students to think for themselves about what they read or see. Throughout the entire lesson, students maintain a conversation about what is happening, what they heard, and how they feel about it.
The post-source opinion poll in Nearpod gives students three options “yes”, “no”, and “I need more information to decide.” This is powerful (and one of my favorite parts of the lessons). Too often, we make snap judgments on issues without understanding the full breadth of the issue. Each of these Nearpod lessons does provide a wealth of information, but reminds students to educate themselves fully before forming an opinion.

As the lesson wraps up, students revisit their initial thoughts on the issue to see if they have changed. I also like to encourage students to share what facts make them feel a certain way. They can continue to root their thinking in information, not blind opinion. Think-Pair-Share, Class Discussion, and Open-Ended Questions are all used for this purpose and serve as effective conclusions.

Nearpod’s Current Events

Nearpod’s growing Current Events library is constantly being updated with new lessons and fresh topics. It’s nice to know that their current events lessons will be just that: current! Nearpod’s Founder said it best when he asked: “When’s the last time your textbook got an update?”

For me…at least 5 years ago! There’s no question that Nearpod is leading the charge with engaging, relevant, and impactful current events in the classroom––another indicator of a curriculum well worth the investment.

Last week we published a lesson on #NotreDame , this week on the #BlackHolePicture – Q: did your textbooks get an update too? https://t.co/wRgCYO5PBS

— Guido Kovalskys (@GuidoNearpod) April 24, 2019

Download free lessons

Flocabulary’s Week in Rap

The weekly current events units are a favorite among Flocabulary users. They spark meaningful discussion and critical thought, while aligning to the standards. You can learn more about the new look and feel here.

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post Current events in the classroom appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

Do you ever feel like there isn’t enough “real world” in your classroom? We have so many required standards and topics to cover, but I often find myself trying to find ways to make learning more meaningful. I want my students to connect what we do in the classroom to their own lives. And the older our students get, the more they want to feel connected to each other and to what they’re learning.

That’s why I’m so incredibly excited about the new Global Perspectives lessons from Nearpod’s new Historical Perspectives and Literacy supplemental curricula! They take real issues from all parts of our world and bring them into the classroom in an honest, age-appropriate, and engaging way. These lessons bring together some of Nearpod’s best features for a totally new experience. Each one immerses students into a global issue and integrates social-emotional learning to make the content more personal. We are raising students to be global citizens, so it’s exciting to have resources that can spark that kind of empathy and awareness in a real-world context.

Within the Global Perspectives series from Historical Perspectives and Literacy, there is a lesson on Syrian Refugees that was so powerful for my students. In my class this year, I have 2 students who traveled to the United States as Syrian refugees just 2 1/2 years ago. The rest of my class sees them as they are on the outside: average students trying to learn English and, like all of us. just trying to fit in. But what they don’t see is the experiences that have brought them across the world and the hardships they’ve had to endure just to make it to our Florida classroom today. This standards-aligned lesson gave me a way to bring their experiences into the classroom without putting them entirely in the spotlight. 

Ss and teachers took a virtual tour of Syria and a Refugee camp after reading the book Refugee by @AlanGratz @CuratedxKai @aasl @nearpod @rockingedutech @ElktonMiddle pic.twitter.com/uJGDbVUeye

— EMS Library (@EMSPOWERHOUSE) February 28, 2019

I was equal parts thrilled and anxious about this lesson. It’s an extremely sensitive issue, but I knew that it was a conversation that needed to happen. Thankfully the Nearpod lesson is crafted in a way that is both sensitive and thought-provoking and it even includes a teacher’s guide that helped me navigate tricky conversations. Primary sources are embedded throughout the lesson to offer multiple perspectives, while the collaborate feature is introduced to enable discussion and bring in student’s own ideas about this crisis. I’m not seeking to create pity, but to instead foster understanding and empathy for people from all backgrounds and walks of life. This lesson does exactly that.

Now of course, the situation in my classroom is pretty unique, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate this kind of learning too. Nearpod’s Historical Perspectives and Literacy supplemental curriculum will add over 300 new Social Studies lessons coming to Nearpod with topics ranging from Suffragists to the Spanish Civil War to Black Lives Matter. Each brings to light unique perspectives, underrepresented voices, and opportunities for meaningful discussion. There’s bound to be at least one that will connect to your content and your students. Conversations about these issues can be tough, but Nearpod can help make it a positive experience for both you and your students.

Explore the new supplemental curricula, Historical Perspectives and Literacy.

Explore the Collection

Global Perspectives is one of five series in Nearpod’s NEW Historical Perspectives and Literacy Program, available for the 2019-2020 school year. This 6-12 supplemental curriculum creates transformational moments in social studies classrooms with immersive VR experiences, primary sources, diverse perspectives, and SEL and literacy skills. Built from the NCSS C3 framework and aligned to state standards, this program encourages students are able to create a complete picture of historic events and figures.

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post Leveraging The Pulitzer Center’s Dynamic Stories to Inspire Ownership of Global Issues appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

Previewing New Content

Teachers often use photos and videos to hook students and introduce a new concept, but oftentimes these can be passive activities. Students are watching, but are they really taking it in? Instead, try using VR to immerse students into the lesson and immediately observe and ask questions. When I was teaching primary, I loved using shape hunts to bring geometry to life, but we were often limited in the shapes we could find. (My classroom has a lot of rectangles, but that’s about it…) So instead, we would use a lesson like this Nearpod Geometry Shape Hunt to explore all kinds of shapes in the real world!  They were able to search for shapes in places all over the world so they were experiencing other cultures as much as they were engaged in hands-on math! Or for upper grades, something like this Lego Death Star lesson would be great for introducing estimation and number writing! They’re estimating as they would with a photo or object in your classroom, but it’s presented in a more engaging way.

Practicing New Skills

In math, I’ve found that students are great at crunching numbers but struggle when they have to decipher a word problem to actually find those numbers or decide on an operation. Often times too, textbook word problems just aren’t relatable to them. So why not create your own word problem scenarios using Nearpod Virtual Reality for math lessons?  By adding a VR hook to the lesson, you can ensure equal access to the context for all your students. For example, this lesson connects a VR image of July 4th fireworks to an algebra problem about cost.  Before students have to calculate the cost of red, white, and blue fireworks, they have the chance to experience the first. There are tons of free lessons like this already in Nearpod, but you can also easily create your own by adding a 360 Cities image to an existing lesson.

Real World Connection

So many of our students are constantly asking, “Why?”. Why do I need to practice this strategy? Why do I need to know how to divide? When will I actually use this in real life? The truth is, as adults we use math every day. Share these experiences with your students through one of these real-life math lessons, or create one of your own!

• Help the Firefighters – Use your knowledge of percentages and measurement to determine the new required length of the fire hoses.
• What’s the Volume? – Students will estimate and then calculate the volume of a shark tank in Japan.

Tips and Tricks:

-Any device will work! VR is more engaging if you have a headset, but I’ve done VR lessons with everything from laptops to iPads to old iPhones!

-Review processes beforehand. VR is exciting for students, so you may want to give them a little play-time before you have them focus on the content itself.

-Looking for more lesson ideas? Try one of these VR Math Bundles!

Explore Nearpod VR Lessons

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

The post 3 Ways to use Virtual Reality in Math appeared first on Nearpod Blog.

Movement breaks don’t need to be long or drawn out, just a little something to get them up and moving. I’ve been using Zumba Kids guided dancing for a while now and love how excited my students get when they finally learn the moves. Each song is a few minutes long so it gives them enough time to clean the slate before starting the next activity. Plus, the songs are catchy and upbeat so kids love them!

Zumba & Nearpod

I love incorporating movement into my daily lessons and breaks. It’s also important to share with students WHY movement is so important. The new Zumba Kids Nearpod lessons do just that. My kindergartners love the song “Turn” from Zumba Kids. I used that lesson to teach my students that dancing can help improve memory and self-esteem.

My class is only 2:1 for devices so my students worked in partners. They viewed the slides and answered questions about memory, self-esteem, and of course, who they think the best dancer is! Since I teach kindergarten, partnering students gives them the opportunity to share ideas with a peer orally. They can ask their friend for help when navigating some of the techier things within Nearpod. The Collaborate feature within lessons allows my entire class to learn from one another. This also provides additional opportunities to share.

After we talked about what dance can do for your brain, we all came to the gathering area to Zumba together! Part of the fun of doing Zumba in class is being able to move and be silly together. It was great to get them up out of their seats in one place.

After the dance, partnerships returned to their iPads to answer questions about how dancing made them feel. This really reinforced how movement can improve our mood, our self-esteem, and our memory. It was awesome to see how nearly every student said they felt better after doing some Zumba Kids. And honestly, after our dance break, I was feeling better too!

Try it Out!

“Turn” may have been my students’ favorite, but there are other Zumba Kids options too! Each one focuses on a different skill and song to help you best meet your students’ needs. We’re always looking for new ways to incorporate movement into our daily routines. These lessons help you infuse it in a purposeful, educational way. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Download the Zumba Nearpod lessons here!

Kali Guinn

Kali is a tech-savvy elementary teacher whose passion for all things STEM fuels her innovation in the classroom and inspires other teachers to begin their own #edtech adventures.

elementarygeek.com

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