Do you want to bring your first grade classroom to life with interactive activities? Using Boom Cards in first grade classrooms is a great way to engage students in learning while having fun.
This blog post will look at five easy ways to use Boom Cards in the first-grade classroom. From morning work to assessments, there's a way you can use them for everything! So let's get started and explore how Boom Cards can enhance your teaching.
Boom Cards for Morning Work
Morning work is a great time to review basic skills with your students. Boom cards are a perfect way to do this! You can create or find already-made decks that review math facts, sight words, or anything else you want your students to practice. Plus, students can play different sets of cards and complete them at their own pace, which is great for differentiating instruction.
Math Stations, ELA Centers, and Word Work Activities with Boom Cards
One of my favorite ways to use Boom Cards is as a consistent math station or ELA center. Using Boom Cards in this way provides students and teachers with repetition and predictability.
Students will know what to expect every time they visit that center. Although you can customize the Boom Card deck based on the skills you are teaching, students will feel comfortable using Boom Cards as a center each week.
Boom cards make great centers because they are self-paced and self-checking. This means that students can work independently, and you don’t have to worry about them losing their place or making mistakes. Plus, you can easily assign different decks to different groups of students depending on their needs.
If students don't have an account to access Boom Cards, you can easily use Fast Play Pins with the free Boom Learning membership to play Boom Cards during centers. Take a look at how I use Fast Play Pins in my classroom.
Boom Cards for Whole-Class Instruction
Boom cards are also great for whole-class instruction. This is one way to use Boom Cards that I don't think is used enough!
You can project the cards on a screen, such as the Smartboard, and have students work together to solve the problems, build the words, or answer the questions. This is a great way to get everyone involved and engaged in the lesson.
They work great as whole-class instruction when introducing and practicing a new skill as a review lesson at the end of the unit or before an assessment.
Use Boom Cards for Assessment
Boom cards are a great way to assess student understanding. You can use them to give quizzes, tests, or even just informal assessments. Plus, since the cards are self-grading, you can easily see which students need more help and who understands the material.
Please be aware that receiving feedback on your student's progress requires a paid Boom Learning Membership. You can refer to my blog post on the membership breakdowns to choose the most suitable membership for your classroom.
Homework Assignments with Boom
Boom cards make great homework because they are easy for parents to use and don’t require special materials or equipment.
Plus, since the cards are self-paced and self-checking, parents don’t have to worry about helping their children if they get stuck on a problem.
The Boom Learning platform may seem daunting when it comes to instructing parents on how to use it at home. However, I have addressed this issue by providing an informational letter to parents outlining the platform and creating a blog post on How to Assign Boom Cards for Homework.
With these resources at your disposal, you will have all the necessary information and tools to give your students a meaningful and enjoyable homework assignment.
Get Started
If you haven't used Boom Cards yet, head over to Boom Learning to set up your free membership account or get a 10% discount on a paid membership!* My TPT Store, Krafty in Kinder Shop, is full of Boom Cards that focus on different Kindergarten, First-Grade, and Second-Grade Math and ELA skills.
I hope this post provides fresh and exciting ideas for utilizing Boom Cards in your First Grade classroom!
Save These Ideas
Don't forget to Pin these ideas to your favorite classroom Pinterest board for quick and easy access when you're ready to start using Boom Cards!
*I may earn a referral prize when you use my Boom referral link.
