1: Flocabulary
My students absolutely love Flocabulary and so do I! It’s a great way to boost engagement through hip hop music. Videos are aligned to CCLS standards for ELA and Math AND they have activities for students to do with the topics. Did I mention you can assign these videos and activities to kids on Google Classroom? One more reason to lovelovelove this website!
My students favorite video is the Long Division song and ask me to play it on a daily basis – even when division isn’t the topic we’re focusing on! They also have a Lyric Lab for students to become creators and make their own raps. It’s one of my students (and mine!) favorite activities to do and it really helps to boost their understanding of the material, which is an added bonus. I love reading and listening to their songs and raps of the topic we are working on!
2: Code.org
So I am new to the coding world, but my students seem to be pros already! I started using code.org in Saturday School and my students are absolutely loving it! The best thing about code.org is that all the lessons are there for you! All you have to do is set up the roster for your class and it’s completely self-paced, which helps for differentiation. There are courses based on each grade and there are even non-tech lessons that just help students with the basics of coding and what coding essentially is.
I only just started it with my students, but I am already loving it! Lessons are aligned the CCLS for ELA and Math, and I have been noticing significant improvement in teamwork. Students are helping each other out when they get stuck, and sharing their work with each other, which is amazing!
3: Quizizz
Quizizz is one of my favorite interactive ways to gather data on students. There are three ways to play a live game – classic, team, or test. I have a lot of experience with the classic version. Students compete to answer questions the quickest and most accurate, and the report is generated and you can save it. I love this because it gives me easy data to read and students are having fun while practicing topics. You can find assignments already made, or create your own. The possibilities are endless!
Oh and did I mention the memes? Students love seeing the memes that are in between each question! You can even add some of your own custom memes! This will definitely boost engagement in your classroom for sure!
4: Kahoot
Kahoot is very similar to Quizizz in that it’s like a game show way to review. The major difference is that it’s not self-paced and all the questions are timed, which can make or break the game. Some of my students shut down when they have to move quickly, while others rise to the challenge. You really need to know your students and what will really engage them. I love how excited students get when they see we are using Kahoot because they want to get to the top of the leaderboard. There is a paid option for Kahoot, but I stick to the free version because we all know us teachers are on a budget!
5: Quizlet
The last website that I love using in my classroom is Quizlet. Quizlet also has a paid option, but again I stick to the free one. What I love about Quizlet is the focus on vocabulary. I can create decks of cards with our vocabulary words, or find pre-made ones. I post the link of the sets that I create to Class Dojo so that parents can see and help their child with the vocabulary. Kids love playing the games and practicing vocabulary.
6: Prodigy Game
Last, but definitely not least, there is Prodigy. This is 100% my students favorite game to play. I did a complete write up of this website here, but I will give you the basics now. It’s a role playing game where students are a wizard and they have to battle to get pets and gems. Their battles consist of math problems that they have to answer and teachers get a full report of what each student is working on. It is a favorite center of my students and they even play at home for 20 minutes each night! That’s another report you get as a teacher – the time each student is spending on Prodigy and how many questions they’re answer in that time. It’s a great tool for teachers and it really is a fun game for students. I created my own student account to see what the hype was, and I can see why students love it!
I’ve only skimmed the surface with these websites – and I will be doing a complete write up of most of them (if I didn’t do so already). There are so many opportunities to keep students engaged, while giving you the data you need to plan your curriculum. I love these websites because they are a great way to check for understanding, or give as an anticipatory set to see what students already know. Personally, I use them for a centers and mid-chapter checks. Kids are so excited when it’s time to review and cheer when they’re assigned the digital center for the day!
Something about most of these websites that I love is the fact that they can all be assigned through Google Classroom. This gives the opportunity for teachers to differentiate instruction without having to worry about creating different material for each student. The websites definitely will boost engagement for students, which in turn will enhance their understanding. Students love to play video games, why not use that to our benefit when teaching?
What other websites do you use to boost engagement? Comment below to let me know!
alexandra
