Nearpod for the 5th Grade ELAR Classroom
- simplyaaronni9
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
Storytime. I've always loved technology and feel using it serves a vital purpose in the 5th grade classroom! Imagine my happiness when I found a learning platform that has everything I'd use during a lesson in one place. I was intrigued and curious, so I took a training. I used the platform for another few years, and then I decided to become a Nearpod Pionear and Nearpod Certified Teacher.
I was ready and roaring to go! From then on, I've used Nearpod consistenly in my classroom and cannot say enough good things about the learning platform. That being said, here are all the reasons why you should use Nearpod for the 5th grade ELAR classroom!
Before we get into the features of Nearpod, let's look at the pros and cons, because as teachers, we know nothing is perfect.
Pros:
100% student engagement. You can see who did or did not do what.
Collects data for later view. You cannot only review the data, you can save it as a PDF.
Variety of methods to teach ideas. Look below for all the ways Nearpod is amazing!
Free account. Who doesn't like free things?
Google Slides integration. THIS is the feature that makes this product so much easier to use.
User-friendly. There are templates available, as well as pre-made lessons to update.
Cons:
Requires a lot of screen time
Can cause unnecessary lags in lesson
If a lesson doesn't save correctly, the lesson is pretty much gone.
Features:
Videos
Videos allow auditory and visual learners to learn "in their wheel-house." One of my favorite things about videos in Nearpod is that you can ask questions that automatically pop up during your lesson. You can even add a poll. How cool is that?
Web Content Integration
If Nearpod doesn't have what you need, you can link to an outside website. This feature is so convenient because going straight to the website decreases distractions, as well as decreases lesson time.
Flocabulary Video Integration
If you haven't heard of it, Flocabulary is (essentially) a company that makes rap-themed ELAR-related videos. This feature is nice, because you can simply go straight to the Flocabulary library to find what you need, instead of searching through Youtube.
BBC Video Integration
Nearpod works well with MANY subjects, but it works especially well when you want to sneak some social studies into your lesson. Simply go their website and find what you need. You can use it in your classroom with ease!
Brain Breaks
This is a new feature! Some lessons are longer than others and can cause students to loose focus. This feature allows you to pick a variety of videos that can give students brain breaks. The videos can either be calming or energizing. You can even filter by grade type!
Nearpod 3D
This is a new feature! Think of that nonfiction lesson that requires a diagram to help students understand the physical features of animals, people, and places. Nearpod 3D allows you to get a 3D, interactive image that can be used to supplement lessons on text features.
VR Field Trip
I LOVE this feature! After reading a text with a distinctive kind of place, we always take a VR field trip to the location. I love this feature because it makes the setting or whatever we're learning more concrete. Many students don't travel as much as other students.
Quiz
I like to use quizzes through a lesson as a type of formative assessment that I can use to inform teaching in the moment. For example, I can have students complete a quick 2 question quiz. I can immediately see who understood and who didn't. I can pull those students for small to address the discrepancy.
Draw-It
I use this one A LOT! Think of Draw-It as a fixed slide that students can either draw on, write on, or decorate using onling resources. In my classroom, I use Draw-It with snip its of PDFs. Students respond to a question and highlight the text evidence on the slide.
Fill in the Blank
I use this feature when I'm teaching a lesson that I'm sure will require a lot of scaffolding. In this feature you write out a full paragraph and pick words that will be "blank." For example, if I'm talking about the elements of plot, I can have a paragraph filled with definitions with keywords missing. I can use this to see who or does not already understand the concept. It's also a good way to take notes with students that struggle to type or have dysgraphia.
Memory Test
I use this feature as a kind of brain break. I'll pick a silly topic, like food or drinks, and have students "remember" where each tile is. You can either run this test until everyone finishes, or you can set a timer. I usually set a timer in my classroom.
Time to Climb
This my FAVORITE Nearpod feature! Imagine Google Slides and Kahoot in 1! Time to Climbs are interactive quizzes that allow students to compete against other students. When everyone is done, a champion is named! You can set timers for each question, as well as hide names when students are answering.
Drag and Drop
I don't use this feature often, but it is effective. In this product, students get to either sort items or match like items. For example, students can sort prompts into SCR or ECR categories. In another example, I can match a word to the correct definition. This feature is a great to get students physically involved with the Nearpod lesson.
Matching Pairs
I treat matching pairs just like the memory test. I add silly pictures or gifs, and have students match them as fast as they can. You can set a timer for this assignment (I highly advise this).
Collaborate Board
I use this in every Nearpod lesson. A collaborate board is where students can "post" responses using words, image, recordings, or drawings. It's a place where students can openly share their ideas, as well as like and comment on other posts. I highly recommend this feature, but would caution you. Make sure you moderate each post, as well as high the names of the student that made the post.
Poll
I love using polls at the beginning, middle, and end of lessons. I do this because I always want to know where my students are before we start the lesson. Having a poll in the middle lets me know if the lesson is as effective as thought it would be. It also helps me adjust for my next classes' lesson. Polls at the end are essential in my classroom! Every day we rate ourselves as either a 4, 3, 2, 1 or 1. 4's can teach someone. 3's can understand, but can't teach someone yet. 2's slightly understand, but need more help. 1's do not understand and need help.
Open-ended question
I don't use this feature too often. This feature allows you to assign an open-ended question that students will answer at their leisure. When time is up, you can lock responses and project individual student posts as examples. While open-ended questions are always beneficial, they can make a Nearpod lesson VERY long.
What do you think?! Isn't Nearpod AMAZING?
Now, here's your freebie! Get 3 FREE Months of a Nearpod Gold Account using the information below:
A Nearpod Gold Account comes with:
10X Lesson Storage
Sub plans feature
Access the Drag & Drop activity
Launch multiple live lessons at once
Support larger class sizes
Simplify lesson creation with the Google Slides add-on
Unlock a new level of priority customer support
Enjoy!
-Sweet Penelope Resources
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