The Digital Age: Top 5 Tools for F2F or Online

I know you’re probably scrambling to figure out how in the world you’re going to start let alone make it through this school year. I know it feels like you have no control over anything, but you do. We may not know what this upcoming school year will look like, but we can start planning. I’m going to help you out with sharing my top 5 tech resources you can use within your classroom whether it’s online, face to face, or maybe even both!

These 5 tech tools are my ride or die tools that I’ve used in my classroom for the past couple of years. They helped make my online learning experience a little less stressful!

Google Suites

Now if you’ve been following me for a while, you know that Google is my best friend! I create my animated math lessons with Google Slides. This was definitely a game changer with distance learning. My go to google education tools are Google slides, forms, and of course Google classroom. 

Ideas on ways to use Google Slides and Google Forms

Google slides: 

1. animated math slides

2. regular math slides (can use with Nearpod) 

3. interactive slides

4. drag and drop activities

Google Forms: 

1. exit tickets

2. quizzes

3. back to school forms

4. student assignments

5. student data collection

Flipgrid

This is probably one of the most popular tools I’ve seen grow over the last 2-3 years. Everyone has gotten a little Flipgrid fever! This tool is great for so many things. I’ve used Flipgrid for read alouds, spelling activities, math explanations, and the list goes on and on. I know a struggle that some teachers had during distance learning was getting students engaged with each other and learning. Flipgrid helps lend itself to that. It’s asynchronous so students can interact with each other, you, and with learning when they want! Check out this tutorial I made on getting you started with Flipgrid!

Ideas on ways to use Flipgrid 

1. Read and share (for fun)

2. Show what you know (math or ELA)

3. Let’s talk

4. Bitmoji Teacher

5. Reading log

6. Meet the Teacher and students

7. Wax museum

8. Interactive timeline

Classkick

I LOVE THIS TOOL!!!! It takes small groups to a whole nother level, and with not being able to share manipulatives, this tool will be your new best friend. I discovered this tool a couple of years ago and have been using it ever since. What’s cool about it is that it’s a live app. You can see your students working and they can see you! It was definitely a game changer for my math small group. Students were able to work at their own pace and I can work with them freely. I created this tutorial to show you how it works!

Ideas on ways to use Classkick

1. Small groups

2. One on one

3. Great tool for applying accommodations (You can read text/problems and questions for students. It allows them to work more independently)

4. Word building

5. Digital Manipulatives

Prodigy

This is probably my kids favorite tool to use in the classroom. It meshes the gaming world and math so seamlessly. This tool has 2 features that I love. The first is that it is adaptive. Students will take a pretest that will place them on their level with math skills. As students become successful with the standards they move up in level. The second is that I can make their learning more specific. You can choose the standard you want your kids to work on and for how long. This will be great for students to get in a little extra practice with math standards, but having fun with it! Explore the website to see the magic!

Epic/Vooks

These tools are basically the Netflix and Hulu of books for kids. These resources will definitely come in handy for virtual learning or in person learning due to not being able to have our classroom libraries. Both tools have the option for read alouds with Vooks being strictly animated storytelling. My students loved these tools. We would use Vooks for class breaks and Epic for more independent time and centers.

Alright, now hopefully by this point you’re feeling a little better about the school year. Fingers crossed that I’ve taught you about at least one new tool (or at least a new activity) you can take and use with your kiddos for this school year. Remember to give yourself grace and take the time to play around with them first. We will make it through this school year on top!

Other favorite resources for distance, F2F, or hybrid learning

Kahoot

Edpuzzle

Nearpod

Seesaw

Freckle

Dreambox

Pebblego

Brainpop

Brainpop Jr.

Gimkit

Duolingo

Razkids

Xtramath

IXL

Education Galaxy