Top 5 Digital Tools

With so many options for utilizing technology it can be hard to choose what exactly to use and how to best incorporate it in the classroom. This is my top 5 list! 

#1 - Padlet - This is like a virtual bulletin board. My students LOVE Padlet. Some teachers use it for digital portfolios, or as a platform for digital classroom discussions. I mostly use it as a landing spot for all of the digital content related to what I am teaching (interactive games, readings, quizlets, Etc. This is an easy “bell ringer” option. My students know they should come into my room sit down and find an activity on the Padlet to do unless I have something else posted. Sometimes I assign a specific activity but a lot of the time it is student choice. 

#2 - Kahoot - Another student favorite. As soon as they hear the music they get really excited! Kahoot is a free student response game. I use Kahoot to pre-assess and for reviews. If you want something that really excites students….Kahoot is definitely the way to go! 

#3 - Nearpod - This student interactive tool is a total game changer. There are many options for presenting and assessing. I used the free version last year but I love it so much I added it to my classroom budget for this year with hopes of doing some flipped classroom lessons. My students love the variety of ways they can interact during the lesson and I love how engaged they are when we are doing a nearpod! 

#4 - Scratch - This is a free programming platform for kids developed by MIT. Students can create interactive games, stories, and animations, there are many ways this can be incorporated into the classroom! I just completed summer PD regarding incorporating computer science into my science curriculum. We primarily focused on using Scratch and I am so excited for my students to have this opportunity this year! Read this article from Education World for more ideas on how to incorporate Scratch into your classroom! 

#5 - Flipgrid - This one is new to me! Flipgrid is a discussion type platform for teachers and students. Teachers can upload a video or content and then have students respond with a 90 second video. This article does a great job explaining all the different uses for Flipgrid. I am super excited to use this with my students! 

I hope this is a helpful list and I hope all of my teacher friends have a fabulous school year!