This week, I'm going to share how I used a Prezi in my classroom! If you don't know about Prezis, they are sort-of PowerPoint-esque. A Prezi is a really dynamic and engaging way to presenting information. For those of us with SMARTboards,
Here is what they say about themselves:
I made my first Prezi last year. I spent some time playing around with the technology to see what I could do with it. My Prezi was about Spanish Conquistadors.
Some things that worked:
- My students loved the movement across the screen. It kept them really engaged and focused and allowed us to get through a lot of content quickly.
- Being able to add graphics (paintings, maps, flags and primary sources) to the Prezi was great for all students but especially my English Language Learners.
- It was really easy (and kind of fun!) to make.
- You can pack a TON of information into a pre-made template.
What didn't really work:
- My conquistador lesson was very teacher driven. Other than tapping the SMARTboard, the students didn't really interact with the lesson. However, I think if you want the students to create a Prezi, they are going to need to see one first!
What I'll try next:
- I'm thinking of using a Prezi for a read aloud. I JUST finished reading Wonder by RJ Palacio last night, and I think it would be awesome to create a Prezi focusing on the different narrators and points of view in the novel. Once testing is finished, I should be able to get my class into the computer lab, so I'll have them work on the different characters in the book. Once they have their pieces done, we can put it all together in one large Prezi to share.
Have you used a Prezi in your classroom?
