Not 1:1? Try Plickers

Plickers How-To

We are 1-1 tablets in grade K-2, but our tablets were not ready to roll out the first day of school, and I knew that some of the teachers really wanted to get started.  While I know this doesn't function the same as 1-1 tablets, Plickers provides the opportunity to engage students in a fun, interactive activity to record answers and get to know them.  Today, I am actually heading into a 1st grade classroom to just do a 'get to know you' type activity with the Plickers.  It's quick and easy, so give it a try!

Step 1: Download ‘Plickers’ onto your tablet.  It is free.

Step 2: Go to Plickers.com and create an account.  

Step 3: Click on ‘Classes’ and enter your class.  If you plan on using for subjects, it might be easier to make the classes by subject area.  While you will enter kids more than once, the way the questions are housed and sorted would be easier down the road.

Step 4: Enter in your students.  You can assign them to a number so they are always that number.  This allows you to see the person’s name when they answer and a graph of the questions that particular student missed. Names with answers DO NOT display on the main monitor while you play unless you select that option.

Step 5: Click on ‘Library’ and start to add questions.  This where separating your classes by subject will help you organize because you can put questions in only one class to organize.  You select the questions you want for that Plickers from the set--less to go through if organized by subject.  

If there is a right answer, you will select it here.  If there is no correct answer, select every answer as correct.

Step 6: Save the question.  Add another question at the top of the screen.  

Step 7: To assign a question to a class for that day, you will click on ‘Add to Plan’ and select the class.

Launch on your tablet or phone.  

Step 8: Open your class.  Launch the questions.  

Step 9: Once you have the question pulled up, click the camera icon.  Scan the room as each kid holds up their card.  You will see the kid’s name and his/her answer pop up on the screen when it works.  As the answers come in, your desktop/chromebook will look like the screen below.

Step 10: The tab for graph will allow you to see a graph of the answers.  This will change as answers come in.  

**Students can also change their answers, so if they want to change, you just have to scan by their card again and it will switch the answer and adjust the graph.

Step 11: You will click back, click on the new question, and repeat.  

If certain cards are assigned to certain students, you will be able to see their overall responses at the end as well.  

You can put question in on the fly on your tablet as well.  Just give a one word description of the question and post it up.  You also don’t have to assign students to numbers; you can just pass out the cards and go.

Created by Allison Schalk, Digital Learning Coach, Lanesville Schools