Wednesday 12 February 2014

Macbeth Revision using Nearpod

With the mock season in full swing and the real thing just around the corner for Leaving Cert. English pupils, it's time to revise the Single Text. I always do my Single Text with pupils when they are in Fifth year so I often find it feels a little distant to them by the time mocks arrive in sixth year. I always revise the single text in detail before the actual Leaving Cert. exam but it can still leave them a little lost before their mocks with only fifth year work to rely on. This year I'm creating Nearpod revision activities for my pupils. Nearpod allows teachers to create interactive presentations for pupils to answer in their own time. Nearpod can be used as a live teaching session or for setting homework. I am creating a homework task for each of the five Acts in our single text, Macbeth.

The beauty of Nearpod is that it is available on the Web, Android or iOS (the iOS/iPad version is a particularly slick experience!). It is free for pupils to download as an app to their device or they can just complete their tasks on the Web. There is also no sign up necessary for the pupils which is a great plus (no 'I forgot the password sir'!) . Simply open Nearpod on whatever device you are using and enter the code given by the teacher. Pupils then enter their name and complete the homework task.

There's no need for pupils to set up accounts! Just go to the site, enter the code,
enter your name and away you go!
I would advise pupils to use these activities as an open book test. You have as long as you need to complete the activities so take your time and get them right! Once a homework task has been created by one teacher it can be e-mailed to another teacher to be used or edited as they wish. So if any teachers create a Nearpod account and would like me to e-mail them any of these lessons get in touch at: newenglishirl@gmail.com There is also a starter course on how to use the software that can be found on Nearpod using the code PIHGR .

Here are all five lesson codes. Go to Nearpod on the web , click join session in the top right corner,  or Android/iOS device and enter the code. I will only be able to give feedback to my own pupils so if you are a visitor to the site I hope you find the activities helpful. The activities for all five Acts will be added to and improved over time so be sure to check back here, for changes to individual codes.

Act 1 Code                               Act 4 Code
MFLAH                                   KGVAN

Act 2 Code                               Act 5 Code
MYWBO                                     QFRBY

Act 3 Code
ZTUQL