How to Use Boom Cards for Distance Learning

While distance learning with our students has presented many new challenges, we’ve also had opportunities to try new things to better serve our students. One of those things I recently came across and have grown to love for distance learning is Boom Learning cards.

Boom cards are digital, interactive, self-checking decks of activities that allow students to practice any skills. The platform is pretty simple to learn how to use. I have a step-by-step tutorial for you that explains it all. There are so many ways you can use Boom cards in your virtual classroom while students are distance learning.

Use Boom Cards in a Whole Group Setting for Review or Introductions

You can easily introduce a new concept or review one with your whole class. You can use Boom cards to do that through games and activities. Just share your screen in Zoom (or whichever live meeting platform you use) to show students the deck and work through it together.

For example, if you are a kindergarten teacher doing a phonics lesson on beginning sounds, you can use this FREE Beginning Sounds Strawberry Sort to review. Each card will immediately indicate if it was done correctly for feedback.

Here’s how this might look in a whole class Zoom meeting:

1. Tell students what they will be doing.
2. Show the first card to students and ask them to write down the beginning sound on a whiteboard or piece of paper.
3. Call on a student to show you their board. You can have the other students give a thumbs up or down if they agree or disagree.
4. Click on the answer the student chose to see if it was correct.
5. Repeat for the other cards in the deck.

You can use Boom cards for distance learning in a whole group setting in as many ways as you have decks!

Use Boom Cards to Create a Virtual Class Game

Another way you can use Boom cards during distance learning is to split your class up into teams and use the cards in a game. For example, you can have students take turns racing to answer correctly, and whoever does first gets a point for their team.

You can also play a version of “Around the World” where you have students take turns telling you the correct answer for a card rapid-fire style. Whoever has the most points at the end, wins.

Assign Decks of Boom Cards for Students to Complete Individually

Finally, you can assign decks of Boom cards to use on distance learning platforms like Google Classroom, Seesaw, and Canvas. You can assign students decks to play in two different ways:

• Fast Pins – Students use a link to play. No login required. No report generated. Free for teachers.
• Hyperplay – Students must log in and are assigned a deck to complete. A report is generated where you can easily monitor students’ progress. Premium teacher membership is required.

You can assign students activities to review and practice important skills they need for any subject. Students can practice as many times as they want.

The advantage of assigning Boom cards through Hyperplay is that you get a report. It shows you each student’s accuracy rate for each activity, the number of times they played it, and how long they spent on each activity. It gives you an in-depth insight into their knowledge and skills for each activity. This does require a premium account, however.

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Top Boom Cards for Distance Learning to Try Today

If you want to start implementing Boom cards in your virtual (or live!) classroom, I have several top-rated decks for you to try out.

1. Kindergarten Word Work Bundle | This bundle has 17 different activities for students to practice the word work skills they need to build a strong foundation in reading like rhyming, syllables, beginning/middle/ending sounds, sight words, and more.
2. Weather Boom Cards | Use interactive activities to help students learn about the four parts of the weather.
3. Earth Day Boom Cards | Teach students about reducing, reusing, and recycling with engaging and interactive activities.

Check them out! I’m sure you’ll find fun ways to use them in your virtual classroom with your students.