Nearpod for Common Core Comprehension Lessons

In first grade we used the free app Nearpod to practice the comprehension strategy Making Predictions.  Nearpod is a digital tool that lets you create or upload content and push your presentation out to each user's device.  With this tool everyone is able to see the same presentation on their own device.

My favorite feature of this digital tool is that it allows you to add activities into your presentation.  You can ask an open ended question, poll your audience, ask quiz questions, and more--without ever leaving the app.  The paid version gives you even more features, but you do get a lot of great features for free!

For our Making Predictions activity I created a new nearpod and then uploaded one of the great videos I found on YouTube from Story Cove.  I picked a short folktale, one that was great for making predictions.  I used Quicktime on my iMac to trim the video up to the point where I wanted students to stop and predict.  Then I added in one of the activity slides called "Draw It".  On this slide students drew and wrote about their prediction and then sent it to me, where I could review all of the student submissions from my screen.  After watching the final portion of the video students were asked if their prediction was correct and to use text evidence to prove it.

Slides:  Introduction slide, first part of the video, prediction slide, final part of the video, and text evidence slide.

Student prediction.

Student prediction.

Evidence example.

I could see using this tool for many other comprehension strategies as well.  The best part is, instead of having just one or a group of students raising their hands to answer the question, EVERYONE gets to be involved and practice the strategy! :)