Do you Kahoot?

When I mention that we are going to play Kahoot, I get a chorus of yeses, yays, and woo hoos no matter what the subject of the Kahoot is. My students are quick to log into their Chromebooks and ask about the code to join . As their names pop up on the television screen, their reactions are just like they were rock stars getting ready for the performance of their lives.

As a teacher who loves using technology in my classroom every chance I get, especially when I can borrow our school's only Chromebook cart, I know every teacher does not feel that way. In a study conducted by EdTech Magazine, it concluded that only 74% percent of teachers support technology in the classroom. In my opinion, that should be one hundred percent. I think the main problem is that teachers do not know what to do with the technology. Kahoot is a great place to get started. It is free and easy to set up. It can also be done without the privilege of 1:1 devices. With only 6 Chromebooks permanently in classroom, we have played in teams. There is always a solution!

Here are a few ways I have used Kahoot so far in my classroom...

• MATH- Instead of the boring pencil and paper reviews that we do unit after unit to prepare for the assessment the following day, I jazz it up by creating a Kahoot with the skills learned throughout the unit.

• VOCABULARY- Every cycle day 1, my students are introduced to new vocabulary words. We do the typical read the words and read the sentence using the words in context. To extend this lesson, we sometimes play Kahoot to further practice to learn definitions as well as front loading students with vocabulary strategies that will be further explored in upcoming lessons.

• SPELLING- We use Kahoot to simply practice identifying the correct spelling of our current and previous spelling words.

For more ideas on how to use Kahoot in your classroom, visit a blog by Matt Miller called Ditch that Textbook.

While we play Kahoot, the look of excitement on their faces when they answer the question correctly or when they see their name on the leader board makes my heart

melt. It is so refreshing to see their love of learning while playing a game. One tradition we have when finished playing a round of Kahoot, is to take a picture of the winner's podium. And, as an added bonus, Kahoot generates the scores of all your students for you! It's a win win! So, what do you think...give it a try!

#Kahoot