How to Use Boom Cards™ to Teach Letters & Sounds
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One of my main priorities as an early intervention specialist is introducing students to basic concepts. Among the most important of those basic concepts is teaching children how to recognize their letters and letter sounds. I have found that using Boom Cards as an instructional tool provides students with engaging, interactive materials that provide immediate feedback and unlimited opportunities to master the material.
If you are unaware of what Boom Cards are or need additional information, check out my post here.
Learning the Alphabet One Letter at a Time
When creating this Boom deck, I chose to use simple clipart that depicts common objects. The pictures used throughout the deck are introduced in the first few cards to ensure students are able to identify them. In addition, audio is provided on every card to support students if they complete the deck independently or if they choose to practice repeatedly.
Next, I provide students with the opportunity to identify the focus letter from a field of four possible answers. Cards include either all lowercase or all uppercase letters.
The next three cards in each deck asks students to locate the focus letter when scattered amongst other letters that may or may not be visually similar. The first card in this section asks students to identify the focus letter five times from a group of uppercase letters. The second cards asks students to do the same but with lowercase letters. The third card (example below), asks students to locate both the uppercase and lowercase focus letter.
The next set of cards in the deck asks students to select the picture that begins with the letter sound from a field of three possible answers. There is a card for each picture introduced at the beginning of the deck.
Finally, the last few cards in the deck asks students to find multiple pictures that begin with the letter sound.
Purchase Individual Letters or Bundle to Save Money
How to Access Boom Decks
If you are interested in viewing additional Boom Decks, please visit my store, Just Julie, by clicking on the link. You will find decks dedicated to learning each letter of the alphabet, colors, numbers, counting, life cycles (butterfly, flower & frog), hibernation, healthy habits, phonemic awareness and more.
The Benefits of Boom Decks
I have stated these before in a previous post but they are worth mentioning again.
- You can find varied subject matter and grade bands to support all levels of learning.
- Boom decks can be assigned in multiple ways depending on your need. I use Fast Pins if assigning decks to students who are learning a new skill or practicing skills they have already been taught. Hyperlink Play allows you to assign a deck to a specific student or group of students for the purpose of tracking progress and collecting data. If you choose to access the Hyperlink Play option, you will need to have a Power account. Find out the different membership options here.
- Please Note: To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for modern Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with “Fast Pins,” (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading Boom Cards). For assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account. If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. Read here for details: http://bit.ly/BoomTrial.
- Immediate, automatic feedback is provided for right or wrong answers.
- Links to Boom decks can be easily posted on my weekly visual schedule which I create using Google slides. Each day I create a new visual schedule that is posted with new links and activities. Please note, the Fast Pins that I use on my visual schedule are only valid for two weeks. After two weeks, you will need to assign the deck again if you want students to continue to access it.
- Boom decks can be accessed using iPads, Chromebooks & Kindle Fires for individualized lessons. Boom decks will also work on SMART Boards which will provide interactive learning experiences during whole-group or small group instruction.
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