09.13.19

Nearpod Interactive Presentation and Ways to Creatively Demonstrate Learning

"I was recently asked the following questions. How can we effectively share resources and interactive presentations with students? How can we have students creatively demonstrate what they know?" The tools below can help.



Nearpod

The Nearpod platform enables teachers to use their Laptops or iPads to manage content on students' iPads or Chromebooks. It combines presentation, collaboration, and real-time assessment tools into one integrated solution. A teacher can create presentations that can contain Quizzes, Polls, Videos, Images, Drawing-Boards, Web Content and so on. They can also access over 7K K-12 standards-aligned lessons.

How do I login to Nearpod?

All core K-5 teachers have received an email with their Nearpod username and password information. Support staff and Specialists may use the login information found on the Bugg Online Resources spreadsheet.

In what ways can I use Nearpod?

Include different Types of Content

  • Audio – Embed audio files into your lesson.
  • Nearpod 3D – Experience 3D objects created specifically for Nearpod.
  • PDF Viewer – Upload PDF files to include in your lesson.
  • PowerPoints/ Slides Presentations – Upload previously-created PowerPoint/ Slides presentations to turn them into Nearpod slides.
  • Slides – Create new, customized slides within Nearpod.
  • Slideshow – Add multiple images at once by searching Google Images or uploading your own image files.
  • Sway – Search a variety of interactive Sway presentations focusing on specific topics.
  • Videos – Search YouTube or upload your own video.
  • Virtual Field Trips – Explore a destination from around the world through 360 cities.
  • Web Content – Add any website directly to a lesson.

Use different Assessment Tools

  • Draw It – Have students identify an image or draw a diagram.
  • Fill in the Blanks – Develop a question that requires the students to fill in the blanks of a sentence or paragraph.
  • Homework – Student-paced sessions where students complete lessons at their own pace or on their own time outside of the face-to-face classroom.
  • Matching Pairs – Have students match images or text.
  • Open Ended Questions – Add a question or writing prompt for students to answer directly from their computer or personal device.
  • Polls – Gage the students opinion by creating a poll question.
  • Quiz – Include a set of questions, which the students answer before, during, or after the lesson.

Here are some of my favorite Nearpod presentations.

Take a VR trip to Mexico.

ELA: A Rainy Day

What are some creative ways students can demonstrate what they know?

Advertisement

Use templates from PosterMyWall to create an ad summarizing a concept.

Teachers can create a free classroom account.

Animation

Use Brush Ninja to animate a concept. Check out these examples.

Audio Recording

Use Vocaroo to create an audio recording. Bonus: Publish recording as QR code and spotlight student work. Instructions can be found here.

Avatar

Use Create My Avatar to design comic avatars to represent students, book characters, or historical figures.

Each one of these tools (and many more) are available on the Bugg website, in the Student section, under Creativity Links.


How can I cast (mirror) iPads on the ActivPanel Monitor?

You can cast up to 4 iPads to the ActivPanel monitors in each classroom. This means that you can easily showcase student work or display the screens of the staff iPads. Simply click the 'ActivCast' icon on the OPS start screen (the screen that starts when you turn on the monitor). On the iPad, locate 'Airplay' and click mirror screen. Choose your room number. On the monitor, tap 'Allow' at the bottom to allow the iPad to show on the monitor screen.

Full step-by-step instructions with pictures can be found here.