What are boom cards anyway? Up until a little while ago, I was the teacher asking that question. Boom cards definitely shot into the spotlight when the pandemic started and suddenly the whole world was going to school virtually. But I had never used them with my class, and I honestly didn’t know where to start.
Fast forward a year… and I am a huge Boom Learning fan! There are so many uses for boom cards in education, but I think boom cards for math can be most helpful for educators. There are so many possibilities for skill reinforcement and repetition, but in a fun and engaging format!
If you are wondering how to use boom cards and why they are so helpful, then read on… I’m about to get into the nitty-gritty of why boom cards can be such important math tools. Make sure to read to the bottom for my list of what to look for when buying Boom Decks!
What Are Boom Cards and How Do They Work?
The first thing you’ll need to know is how to get started and how to use Boom Cards. Boom Cards are accessed through the Boom Learning website. Here, you can set up a free teacher account where you can see and assign decks to your students. A free account allows you to assign decks to as many students as you like by giving them a special “pin” to access.
Boom Cards also has a premium version, which allows you to have multiple classrooms and keep track of student data. You can try a free version of the premium version here to try it out.
How To Use Boom Cards
Once you’ve got an account (free or paid), you can start looking for Boom Decks that you’d like to use with your students! These are a set of task cards practicing a certain skill. Students answer using the interactive features of Boom Cards. Sometimes they have to drag and drop, sometimes they have to click on the correct answer, or sometimes they have to type something in.
You can assign different decks to different students. Some decks are free, and others need to be purchased. All of the decks you have downloaded will show up in your library for you to get the special “pin” to send so that students can access them.
Students can use a computer or tablet to access the decks you have assigned them. There is also a Boom cards app that they can be downloaded for them to have easy access to their decks.
All Types of Learners
One of the very best advantages of using Boom Cards in education is that they can reach students with a variety of different needs. Their interactive nature helps students stay engaged, and also helps them learn using multiple modes. This is perfect for math — it can be so hard to address all students and their needs with a single curriculum.
For example, many Boom Cards have audio on every slide that reads the directions aloud. Some cards might have drag and drop features that are great for highly visual learners. And finally, the keyboard interaction helps kinesthetic learners have hands-on opportunities.
In fact, I’ve found that using Boom Cards for math is often a favorite practice activity in my classroom. My students love using the iPads to do their Boom decks – even the students who struggle with math!
Repetition and Self-Checking
Boom Cards naturally provide the repetition that students need to master many math skills, especially fact fluency. As students work through Boom Decks (which can include dozens of task cards), they are gaining repetition and practice.
High quality Boom Decks will provide practice with the same skill using several different modes of understanding. This keeps engagement high during repetition and gives the student a well-rounded knowledge of the concepts.
Furthermore, the self-checking aspect allows students to know right away if they got an answer right or wrong. If they got it wrong, they can redo the same question until they get it right. Or they can press “skip” and come back to it later. This immediate feedback helps students in their learning process, and they can immediately try to fix errors as they go.
Choosing the Right Decks
When looking for the Boom Cards for math, here are some things to look for to help ensure your students will be highly engaged:
- Focus on a specific skill: Boom Decks that have a little bit of everything aren’t as effective as decks that help your students focus on mastering one skill at a time. Look for a set of decks that breaks things down into bite-sized pieces so that your students are getting the reinforcement they need.
- Offers multiple modes of learning: I love finding decks that provide several types of practice for one skill. These can help students who may need multiple modes of learning to understand new things.
- Bright, colorful graphics: Some teachers might not put this high on their priority list, but I think that having Boom Decks that draw kids in with pleasing colors and graphics is hugely helpful, especially for our more reluctant learners!
Data for the Teachers
Finally, I want to talk about how to use the provided data. If you opt for the premium account, you get access to all your student data. This can be useful in providing you with different insights into how your student are doing.
For example, you can see if they show improvement with the same deck over time. You can also see which cards they are having trouble with, to help you find specific skills they need more practice with. The data will also show overall how your class is performing, which can help you adjust your lesson planning throughout the school year.
Boom Cards in Education
While Boom Cards definitely had their moment in the spotlight during the pandemic, I believe they still deserve a place in everyday learning. I have found again and again that they can be a highly engaging and very effective way for students to get extra practice with new math concepts and skills.
How will you use Boom Cards in your classroom? Let me know in the comments! xoxo Laura
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