You may have heard of Boom Cards, but not sure exactly how you can incorporate them into your lessons. Here are a few ideas on how to use Boom Cards in the Classroom.
What are Boom Cards?
The short version is that they are self-checking digital task cards. You and your students need internet access to use them. You can use a free account to access them. A paid account will give you access to tracking students achievements.
What are the Benefits of Boom Cards?
In classrooms today, we’re always looking for ways to engage students in their learn. However, time is short, so we know low prep activities are key. That’s where Boom Cards come in! Here are some of the benefits of using these digital task cards in the classroom.
1. Interactive Learning
We know that when students can participate in hands-on, interactive learning, they retain the information better. Boom Cards are highly interactive digital task cards that engage students through various activities. Students are asked to match, sort, label, sequence, type, or more which keeps them interested.
2. Immediate Feedback
Boom Cards provide immediate feedback to students. This allows them to know whether their answers are correct or incorrect in real-time. The feedback helps students learn from their mistakes and self-assess their understanding.
3. Differentiation
Teachers can easily differentiate instruction by assigning sets that are tailored to meet the individual learning needs of students. They can customize the difficulty level or content of the cards to accommodate diverse learners within the classroom.
4. Data Tracking
With a paid subscription, Boom Learning, the platform that hosts Boom Cards, provides teachers with access to data analytics and reports that track student progress and performance. This data allows teachers to monitor individual student growth, identify areas of strength and weakness, and make informed instructional decisions.
5. Time-Saving
Boom Cards are timesavers for teachers. There is no need to copy, laminate, and prep task cards. Just choose the set you want to use and it assign it.
How to Use Boom Cards in the Classroom
Now that you know how beneficial using they can be, let’s go over ways you can incorporate them in the classroom.
Boom Cards are very versatile and extremely engaging. They are almost no prep to set up. Just share a ‘fast pin’ with your students and they are ready to go. Now, let’s go over some of the ways you can use them in the classroom.
1. Independent Learning Stations
- Set up a computer or tablet station where students can independently work through the digital task cards.
- Create playlists or folders for specific topics or skills to allow students to choose activities based on their needs and interest. You can differentiate stations by providing different sets of cards based on student needs.
2. Whole Class Instruction
- Use them as part of a whole class lesson using a projector or interactive whiteboard.
- Provide each student with individual response boards. Have them write their answers on their board and hold them up.
3. Small Group Instruction
- Use Boom Cards in small group settings to provide focused instruction on specific skills.
- Allow for collaboration and discussion among students working on the same set of Boom Cards.
4. Early Finishers
- They make great early finisher activities. Provide students with links to specific sets for additional practice when they are done with assigned work.
5. Review or Test Preparation
- Use them as a review tool before assessments or standardized tests. (My favorite way to use them!)
- Create sets that align with specific test objectives and encourage students to review independently.
6. Formative Assessment
- Use the cards for quick formative assessments to gauge student understanding.
- Review data and analytics provided by Boom Learning to inform future instruction and identify areas of improvement.
Conclusion
As you can see, incorporating these digital task into your classroom can help support the way you teach and the way your students learn. With their interactive nature, immediate feedback, and versatility, they offer a wealth of benefits for teachers and students. If you’ve decided to dive into the world of these digital task cards, make sure to check out this huge selection of ELA Boom Cards geared towards 4th and 5th grade.
