5 Ways to Use Boom Cards in the Classroom

So you're back in school and you get to see your kiddos face-to-face. No more virtual counseling sessions and class lessons on Zoom, no more having to find e-versions of your favorite picture books for class lessons, or looking up dice online for a digital game of chutes and ladders for your small groups. Isn't it great to have some semblance of what work was like pre-pandemic?

That said, being the tech nerd that I am, if there was one digital resource I would still use and recommend you use too, it would have to be Boom Cards. Personally, Boom Learning was a life-saving discovery for me during my virtual counseling sessions. But I believe they are a game changer in person too!

If you haven't heard of them, Boom Cards are paperless, no prep, interactive, self-grading task cards/activities hosted on the Boom Learning platform and are ideal for digital learning! If you've never used them and are wondering how they work, read this blog post.

Some school counselors I've interacted with who have used Boom Cards, say they're more comfortable using a resource like this in tier 3/individual sessions but are not quite sure how to use them effectively in the classroom. If you're one of them, this post is for you!

Boom cards in the classroom can be used to:

1. Check for prior knowledge

When teaching class lessons, you definitely want to gauge your students' knowledge on a topic or concept (kind of like a pre test!) before you actually teach them a lesson. This is where Boom Cards can be your best friend. Project the cards on the board and have students write down or share their answers, or assign it to your class via Google Classroom before your actual lesson. It's always good to know where your students are at before you dive right in. For example, you want to teach coping skills, but it is best to first make sure your students can identify their emotions.

2. Teach a class lesson

If you don't have a fixed timetable to go in for class lessons or if you're hard pressed for time and can only manage a 15-20 minute lesson, Boom Cards can be your go-to resource. Given the fun visuals and its interactive nature, you will be surprised at how what seems to be a quiz or a game can in fact double up as a mini classroom lesson.

3. Assess new understanding

Boom Cards are a great non-threatening assessment tool. After you've taught your class lesson, get your students to play the relevant set of Boom Cards on their own. I would suggest you have them do it at school at the same time, but another option is to have them complete the cards as 'homework' or a supplemental activity. You can check out their scores in the 'teacher view'.

4. Help students catch up

Unfortunately, the pandemic isn't entirely over. You probably still have students having to stay home due to Covid or for other reasons too. The easiest way to help them catch up on what you've taught the class, is to have them play the Boom Cards set related to your lesson. Simply send them the link and they can play at home. Learning will take place considering the immediate feedback received when using Boom Cards.

5. Revise and refresh previously taught lessons

Do you ever wish your kids remembered what you taught them in the last lesson? When teaching a follow-up lesson or one that is connected to a previously taught lesson/unit, you could always use Boom Cards to help refresh your students' memory before you move on to your next lesson.

Are you convinced now that Boom Cards can be used effectively in the physical classroom too? If so, go ahead and snag my Boom Card Super Bundle. All of the activities in this SEL Boom Card bundle are no-prep and ready to use in person or to send to students. The bundle includes 12 different activities covering topics such as mindfulness, stress and anxiety, expected vs. unexpected behaviors, social skills, growth mindset, empathy, anger management, size of the problem, coping strategies, social filters, feelings recognition, and self-regulation.

Don't forget to let me know in the comments how you use Boom Cards in your class lessons!