How to use Nearpod: Tips for beginners<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n1. Take advantage of the Lesson Library<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t have to create lessons on your own! The Nearpod Lesson Library includes 8,000+ standards-aligned lessons,10,000+ videos, and 3,000+ games and activities. that are searchable and ready to be taught the moment you download them. You can find a lesson<\/a> FAST by filtering your search. Once you add a lesson to your lesson library, you can edit it to fit your students\u2019 needs or use it as is. You can use the premade lessons as a starting point and then add your own custom activities, content, and differentiation. Trustworthy subject experts and past educators create every lesson in the Nearpod Lesson Library and partner with other education companies such as PhET<\/a>, Lifeliqe<\/a>, iCivics<\/a>, Common Sense<\/a>, Crash Course<\/a>, PBS Kids<\/a>, Education.com<\/a>, and Readworks<\/a>. Practicing with these lessons is the perfect way to learn how to use Nearpod. Also, all lessons, videos, and activities are FREE with a Nearpod account!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore tips for the Lesson Library<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n2. Create mini-lessons using single activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creating learning opportunities with short, targeted activities has never been easier. A Nearpod lesson does not have to be 10-30 slides long to be effective. Creating mini-lessons using even a single activity can be extremely powerful. Here are a few ideas for how to use Nearpod\u2019s activities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Nearpod](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/DrawIt_Gif.gif\")
<\/figure>\n- Time to Climb<\/strong><\/a> is Nearpod\u2019s multiple-choice quiz game that can be played in Live or Student-Paced mode.<\/strong> It will have your students excited and begging to take a quiz. <\/li>
- A <\/strong>Draw It<\/strong><\/a> activity will allow students to respond to a prompt with drawings, text, and images.<\/strong> You can also see their responses in real time and display them. You can upload any background or have students draw on a blank background.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
- Another option is to create an <\/strong>Interactive Video<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> With Nearpod\u2019s video tool, you can take video instruction from passive to active learning by embedding formative assessments inside the video. Add multiple-choice or open-ended questions to any video that you add from YouTube or use one from the Nearpod library.<\/li>
- Consider using a <\/strong>Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trip<\/strong><\/a> to bring the world to your classroom!<\/strong> Students can explore a 360-degree image of a location on their own devices. There are over 300,000 locations to choose from. These are great to use as writing prompts. Immerse your students in a location they can explore and be inspired by.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFind more ideas for Nearpod activities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
3. Watch learning in real time!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"Nearpod](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Drag-and-Drop-Feeling-Gratitude-1024x669.png\")
<\/figure>\nOne fantastic advantage of using Nearpod is observing learning in real time. When your students are completing a Draw It or <\/strong>Drag & Drop<\/strong><\/a> activity, you will have an inside look into their understanding at that moment. <\/strong>Drag & Drop allows students to sort or order images and text sequentially or in thematic groups. You can easily create your own Drag & Drop activity yourself. However, hundreds of premade activities are available in the Nearpod Library for you to use, saving you time!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore Drag & Drop activities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAnother activity that can be used for a quick check-in is the Poll. This activity allows you to ask multiple-choice questions to check for understanding, take a class vote, and highlight student opinions. You can see the results (individual student answers and cumulative) live in the Teacher Dashboard<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Spark conversations by hearing from all students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As educators, we need to reach every student in our classrooms. However, we don\u2019t always \u2018hear\u2019 from many of our students for varying reasons. In a class discussion, we may hear from 30-60% of our students due to time constraints, or many students do not feel comfortable participating. Typically we will see the same hands raised to answer questions or to speak during a discussion. So many of our student\u2019s voices are not heard, and we need to bring ALL voices to the table. Even the quiet ones! Here are a couple of powerful activities that all Nearpod beginners should know about to make that happen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Open-Ended Questions are an amazing tool to use by themselves to begin a classroom discussion.<\/strong> This activity can be added to a Nearpod lesson or used as a stand-alone activity. Also, you can quickly access it on the fly by using the Quick Launch<\/a> found on the upper right-hand side of your Nearpod homepage. When students respond to an Open-Ended Question, you will be able to see all student responses in the teacher dashboard. From there, you can share out any student answer to all devices anonymously. This is a great way to bring the quiet voices to the forefront, allowing all students to be heard!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
![\"Collaborate](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/collaborate-board.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n- Collaborate Board<\/strong><\/a> for the win!<\/strong> The Collaborate Board is an interactive discussion board that allows students to post text and images to a shared class board. All student responses can be seen by all other students anonymously. A Collaborate Board can also be launched using the Quick Launch tool as an independent activity. You can easily create your own Collaborate Board to share with students, or you can use our premade activities.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore premade Collaborate Boards<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
5. Use what you have!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
For Nearpod beginners, it is important to remember that you can still use the resources that you may have created in the past. Do you have Powerpoint<\/a> presentations or Google Slide <\/a>presentations that you use for instruction? Good news! You can still use them and improve them by bringing in Nearpod\u2019s engaging activities and dynamic media. You can recycle handouts by bringing them into a Draw It or Drag & Drop activity as backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore tips for making your own lesson<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n6. It\u2019s easy to teach students how to use Nearpod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Using technology comes naturally to students, as they use it just about every day. One of the best ways to teach students how to use Nearpod is to incorporate it into your daily class routine. Have students that need Nearpod beginners tutorials?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Time](\"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/timetoclimb-3-1.gif\")
<\/figure>\nSome Nearpod Orientation lessons<\/a> can help walk them through \u2018how\u2019 to use the different Nearpod activities and give them the space to practice in a low-stakes environment. A few ideas are to review units with Time to Climb, make a Draw It exit poll, or use our social-emotional learning (SEL) mini-lessons. Explore more ways to teach your students how to use Nearpod<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
2. Create mini-lessons using single activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creating learning opportunities with short, targeted activities has never been easier. A Nearpod lesson does not have to be 10-30 slides long to be effective. Creating mini-lessons using even a single activity can be extremely powerful. Here are a few ideas for how to use Nearpod\u2019s activities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>- Time to Climb<\/strong><\/a> is Nearpod\u2019s multiple-choice quiz game that can be played in Live or Student-Paced mode.<\/strong> It will have your students excited and begging to take a quiz. <\/li>
- A <\/strong>Draw It<\/strong><\/a> activity will allow students to respond to a prompt with drawings, text, and images.<\/strong> You can also see their responses in real time and display them. You can upload any background or have students draw on a blank background.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n- Another option is to create an <\/strong>Interactive Video<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> With Nearpod\u2019s video tool, you can take video instruction from passive to active learning by embedding formative assessments inside the video. Add multiple-choice or open-ended questions to any video that you add from YouTube or use one from the Nearpod library.<\/li>
- Consider using a <\/strong>Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trip<\/strong><\/a> to bring the world to your classroom!<\/strong> Students can explore a 360-degree image of a location on their own devices. There are over 300,000 locations to choose from. These are great to use as writing prompts. Immerse your students in a location they can explore and be inspired by.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nFind more ideas for Nearpod activities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n3. Watch learning in real time!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\nOne fantastic advantage of using Nearpod is observing learning in real time. When your students are completing a Draw It or <\/strong>Drag & Drop<\/strong><\/a> activity, you will have an inside look into their understanding at that moment. <\/strong>Drag & Drop allows students to sort or order images and text sequentially or in thematic groups. You can easily create your own Drag & Drop activity yourself. However, hundreds of premade activities are available in the Nearpod Library for you to use, saving you time!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore Drag & Drop activities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAnother activity that can be used for a quick check-in is the Poll. This activity allows you to ask multiple-choice questions to check for understanding, take a class vote, and highlight student opinions. You can see the results (individual student answers and cumulative) live in the Teacher Dashboard<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Spark conversations by hearing from all students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As educators, we need to reach every student in our classrooms. However, we don\u2019t always \u2018hear\u2019 from many of our students for varying reasons. In a class discussion, we may hear from 30-60% of our students due to time constraints, or many students do not feel comfortable participating. Typically we will see the same hands raised to answer questions or to speak during a discussion. So many of our student\u2019s voices are not heard, and we need to bring ALL voices to the table. Even the quiet ones! Here are a couple of powerful activities that all Nearpod beginners should know about to make that happen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Open-Ended Questions are an amazing tool to use by themselves to begin a classroom discussion.<\/strong> This activity can be added to a Nearpod lesson or used as a stand-alone activity. Also, you can quickly access it on the fly by using the Quick Launch<\/a> found on the upper right-hand side of your Nearpod homepage. When students respond to an Open-Ended Question, you will be able to see all student responses in the teacher dashboard. From there, you can share out any student answer to all devices anonymously. This is a great way to bring the quiet voices to the forefront, allowing all students to be heard!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n
- Collaborate Board<\/strong><\/a> for the win!<\/strong> The Collaborate Board is an interactive discussion board that allows students to post text and images to a shared class board. All student responses can be seen by all other students anonymously. A Collaborate Board can also be launched using the Quick Launch tool as an independent activity. You can easily create your own Collaborate Board to share with students, or you can use our premade activities.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore premade Collaborate Boards<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
5. Use what you have!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
For Nearpod beginners, it is important to remember that you can still use the resources that you may have created in the past. Do you have Powerpoint<\/a> presentations or Google Slide <\/a>presentations that you use for instruction? Good news! You can still use them and improve them by bringing in Nearpod\u2019s engaging activities and dynamic media. You can recycle handouts by bringing them into a Draw It or Drag & Drop activity as backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore tips for making your own lesson<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n6. It\u2019s easy to teach students how to use Nearpod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Using technology comes naturally to students, as they use it just about every day. One of the best ways to teach students how to use Nearpod is to incorporate it into your daily class routine. Have students that need Nearpod beginners tutorials?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nSome Nearpod Orientation lessons<\/a> can help walk them through \u2018how\u2019 to use the different Nearpod activities and give them the space to practice in a low-stakes environment. A few ideas are to review units with Time to Climb, make a Draw It exit poll, or use our social-emotional learning (SEL) mini-lessons. Explore more ways to teach your students how to use Nearpod<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
- Collaborate Board<\/strong><\/a> for the win!<\/strong> The Collaborate Board is an interactive discussion board that allows students to post text and images to a shared class board. All student responses can be seen by all other students anonymously. A Collaborate Board can also be launched using the Quick Launch tool as an independent activity. You can easily create your own Collaborate Board to share with students, or you can use our premade activities.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- Consider using a <\/strong>Virtual Reality (VR) Field Trip<\/strong><\/a> to bring the world to your classroom!<\/strong> Students can explore a 360-degree image of a location on their own devices. There are over 300,000 locations to choose from. These are great to use as writing prompts. Immerse your students in a location they can explore and be inspired by.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- A <\/strong>Draw It<\/strong><\/a> activity will allow students to respond to a prompt with drawings, text, and images.<\/strong> You can also see their responses in real time and display them. You can upload any background or have students draw on a blank background.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n