*Please note: Boom Learning and Boom Cards are the trademarks of Boom Learning (a dba of Omega Labs Inc.). Google Slides is a trademark of Google LLC. Microsoft PowerPoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft.*
If you don't know that much about Boom Cards, please be sure and check out this post. Here, I fill you in on what these are and why they are and amazing addition to your classroom! For those of you who are new to using them or have some questions about how to use these with your students, please be sure and keep reading. In this post, I will be answering some frequently asked questions.
I get LOTS of questions about Boom Cards! So, I thought it would be extremely helpful to teachers to have all the answers in one blog post that I can update when needed. Because we all know, technology is ever changing! Alright, let's get started!
By the way…these are in no particular order!
1. Do I need to sign up for Boom Cards in order to be able to use them with my students?
Teachers DO need an account to be able to use Boom Cards. This is so that each time you log in, all of your decks will be listed in your library. Your library is important because this is where you will be able to access and assign all of your free and purchased decks.
2. Does a Boom Cards account cost money?
You can choose to have a free or paid Boom Cards account. There are different membership levels, and the paid accounts are very affordable! Click here to review if a free or paid membership is best for you. Check out pricing details here. With the free account, you can only have 5 students. But don't worry, all your students can have access to Boom decks through a fast pin link. However, with the free account, you will not have access to reports and data.
3. Can I use Boom Cards on Google Slides or in PowerPoint?
Boom Cards must be played through the Boom Learning website. So, they cannot be displayed on Google Slides or in PowerPoint. You can, however, share the link to a deck you are assigning to your students. Click the above video to see how to do this with a fast pin or as a URL link in Google Classroom! I have made some of my Boom Card decks into Google Slides. Check out my Google Drive resources here.
4. Can I use Boom Cards in Seesaw or Microsoft Teams?
Again, Boom Cards have to be played on the Boom Learning website. But, many teachers like too assign them through different platforms such as Seesaw, Microsoft Teams, Powerschool, and Canvas, among others. This can be done with ease by assigning decks to students. Hyperlinks only work for students who have usernames and passwords. Please click here to learn how to do this.
5. How do I set up my classroom on the Boom Cards website?
You can set up your classroom quickly on the Boom Learning platform. All you will need to do is create an account, edit your profile, and decide which membership level you want. Then, you can add your students. Watch the video above for step by step instructions on how to do this!
6. Do my students need a username and password to use Boom Cards?
If you are assigning a deck through a fast Pin, then your students won't need to sign in. Doing this can make things faster, but you won't get reports on how the students did playing the deck. If you want reports, then your students will need a username and password. Here is a quick tutorial on how to set up your classroom, create student logins, and generate QR codes. You can even simplify student sign-in with Picture Passwords!
7. I can't find the deck I purchased…what should I do?
First, make sure you have clicked on the special link that was provided to you. If you purchased one of my decks, you will click on the cover photo, which contains the link to the resource you bought. It will take you to that deck on the Boom Cards website. From there, you will see a welcome screen and a box that has a “redeem” button. Click on that button to have the deck added to your Boom Cards library. You will need to sign in if you have not already. If you still can't find your deck, please contact Boom Learning, and they will be happy to help you out!
8. How do I assign or un-assign decks to my students?
There are three ways for students to play a deck of Boom Cards.
- Fast Pins – This allows you to distribute a simple link and doesn't require your students to sign in (but reports will not be generated).
- HyperPlay – this allows you to distribute a simple link, but does require your students to sign in (reports can be generated if you are using a paid version).
- Assigning – This allows students to see all the decks assigned to them when they log in, and they can play at their leisure with custom play settings. Both the student and the teacher can see their reports.
If you are using a website outside of the Boom Learning platform, you will want to choose the Fast Pin or HyperPlay option. If you are using Boom Cards directly, you will want to assign the deck instead. Click here to learn how to assign or un-assign decks. You may also want to watch the video below for visual steps on how to do this.
9. Do my students have to do all the cards in a deck?
No! Once you've set up your classroom and assigned decks to students, there is an action tab under the deck called “Custom Play Settings.” This can help you set the number of cards you want your students to play, hide cards, or even to show/not show the answers for cards that are surrendered. Be sure to view the video above on specifics of the Boom Cards library.
10. How do I access my student reports?
Click on the above video for step by step instructions on accessing, viewing, and printing reports for your student's progress with a Boom Card deck. These can be great to review at parent conferences and even intervention meetings. Here is even more information on student reports.
11. What do I do if my question still hasn't been answered?
Boom Cards can be a lot of fun for students and teachers. But as with everything, there is a small learning curve. Boom Learning has a great YouTube station that has lots of helpful videos. If you are anything like me, the visuals are a great help! You can also click here to find out other information on the Boom Learning website!
I hope you have found this post to be useful in answering your questions. If you still have further questions, please comment below, and I will be sure to get back to you!
