Nearpod contains lessons, activities, and videos. It contains subjects such as language arts, math, social studies, science, technology, music, art, physical education, and much more. It includes lessons and materials for every grade from kindergarten to 12^th grade.

In addition to this, there are a lot of materials for events during the year. For example, there are lessons for Earth Day, National Poetry Month, and even Financial Literacy Month. It also offers materials such as test prep strategies, classroom culture builders, an even current events.

One lesson that I found was called, “Ecosystems: Explore the Ocean” This interactive lesson can work on it’s own and works similar to a slide show for each student. It contains questions and interactive screens that show a part of the world. It also has a video from national geographic. It also contains elements of drawing, polls, and field trips.

The tools i’ve discovered from the WE Virtual Learning Center that i’ve carefully chosen as there are so many, are tools for classroom organization and planning, and the importance of gratitude in a learning environment. The first important tool is an online well-being planning calendar that can keep teachers, as well as students on track with their assignments and tasks! I have always been a firm believer that organization in the classroom is key to success! No one succeeds with their things scattered and no structure. The calendar is customizable to match your needs or keeping things in check! i think as a teacher, i will most defnitely be using these creative tools to further my succesful and my students. The next tool is a course provided to teachers to help bring gratitude to the learning community. This guide is what every teacher needs to better their classroom and role as a teacher. Gratitude, optimism, motivation, etc, are all great tools to help be more successful educationally. I think knowing how to practice gratitude as a teacher is important so they can reflect the gratitude throughout their students and collueges.

Using virtual reality, also known as VR, has really changed the ways of education. One amazing tool using virtual reality is called Nearpod. Augmented reality is sort of like virtual reality, however, VR is an immersive experience where AR augments your surroundings with digital elements. Nearpod uses both of these types of virtual wonders, which is what you will be reading about here!

Nearpod uses fieldtrips that can take the students everywhere, at anytime! The students never have to leave their seat or spend a bunch of money to experience all the opportunities that Nearpod allows them to access. Nearpod also allows the educator to add virtual reality photos, making it again a very immersive lesson for the student. There are thousands of photos to chose from giving the educator a wide range of ideas and “places to visit”. Students have access to these fieldtrips from any device, meaning they can even access it at home with a school login, but it does not need to be a school computer or tablet!

That being said Nearpod gives the students a personalized experience that they may never get to see in real life, students who are less fortunate can see places they may not be able to right now. It is an amazing tool for any educator regardless of the grade they teach!

YouTube 360 videos enhance global collaborations by giving unforgettable experiences that span across the world. They enable individuals from all over to virtually experience places together, creating a sense of shared experience and promoting collaborative activities in areas such as education, culture, science, and entertainment. They also provide opportunities for global knowledge and empathy by allowing users to encounter diverse perspectives and realities directly. This can lead to improved communication, collaboration, and creativity among individuals and organizations around the world.

Ways to Incorporate in a Lesson Plan

A Great resource to find fun virtual reality lesson plans to incorporate within your classroom is this article; “Virtual Reality Curriculum Guide: Experience, Immersion and Excursion in the Classroom” By Travis Feldler and Natalie Proulx, which was published in the New York Times. I am sure we can all relate to learning about the solar system in elementary school and that is why the lesson plan “A Mission to Pluto” stood out to me. This lesson plan begins with students listing facts they know about Pluto and making predictions about what it would be like to visit. During the mission, they watch a YouTube 360 video titled “Seeking Pluto’s Frigid Heart” (which I will link below) to observe its unique characteristics. Afterward, they discuss their observations and compare them to their predictions. They also reflect on the similarities and differences between Pluto and Earth and explore insights into the universe. To bring the lesson to an end, the students will then create original drawings that include key information about Pluto based on what they learned.

How does this Encourage Successful Global Collaborations?

This lesson plan promotes worldwide collaboration by using YouTube 360 videos to create a true sense of exploring Pluto. Students from all around the world can engage in the same educational experience thanks to virtual reality technology, which encourages cooperation and shared learning.

Citations

Feldler, Travis, and Natalie Proulx. “Virtual Reality Curriculum Guide: Experience, Immersion and Excursion in the Classroom.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/learning/lesson-plans/virtual-reality-curriculum-guide-experience-immersion-and-excursion-in-the-classroom.html.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have transformed the way we engage with digital content. Nearpod is one of the tool that seamlessly integrates AR and VR elements into their lessons and presentations. In this blog post, I will explore how Nearpod can elevate AR and VR experiences, revolutionizing the way we learn and engage with virtual content.

Collaborative VR presentations: Nearpod facilitates collaborative learning by allowing students to create and present their own VR presentations. With Nearpod’s VR creator tool, students can design virtual environments and populate them with multimedia content, including images, videos, and 3D models. Data Visualization in AR and VR: Nearpod enables educators to transform data into interactive visualizations in AR and VR formats. Using Nearpod’s interactive charts and graphs, educators can present data dynamically and engagingly, allowing students to explore and interact with the data visually. In addition, Nearpod allow the teacher to take their students on virtual field trips using a smartphone. By incorporating 360-degree images and videos.

Overall, Nearpod’s advantages in the classroom lie in its ability to engage students, personalized instruction, and promote collaboration. With the help of Nearpod, educators can create dynamic and interactive learning experiences that enhance student learning outcomes.

In an era where technology is transforming educational environments, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are emerging as revolutionary technologies. Platforms like as Veative, Nearpod, and YouTube 360 videos not only improve the learning experience, but also pave the road for successful global cooperation in K-12 education. 

Why Virtual Reality?

Virtual Reality provides an immersive and interactive learning environment that engages students in ways that traditional approaches cannot. It allows the students to “experience” rather than simply “learn,” making difficult ideas more understandable.

The Power of Veative

Veative is an educational platform that provides a diverse set of VR modules on topics ranging from science and math to history and geography. Teachers can use Veative to develop customized classes based on their curriculum, including VR experiences that virtually bring students to other regions of the world.

How Veative Can Be Used For Global Collaborations

Virtual Field Trips: Teachers can take students on virtual field trips to discover sights, cultures, and ecosystems from all over the world. This can help students have a better knowledge and appreciation for global diversity.

Collaborative Projects: Students from all over the world can work together on projects using the Veative platform to solve challenges and exchange insights, developing cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.

Image Source: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/stories/veative-labs-making-educational-content-more-accessible-through-webvr

Nearpod: Interactive Learning for Global Understanding

Interactive Lessons: Teachers can use Nearpod’s VR and AR technologies to build interactive classes that allow students to experience foreign cultures, languages, and traditions.

Global Discussions: Nearpod’s collaborative capabilities allow students to join in global discussions, share their ideas, and learn from their peers all over the world.

YouTube 360 Videos

YouTube 360 videos provide a huge library of immersive information that can be used in classroom lessons. Teachers can make their own list of 360-degree videos that correlate with their curriculum, giving students a virtual view into the world.

How YouTube 360 Videos Can Connect to Global Collaborations:

How YouTube 360 Videos Can Foster Global Collaborations:

Cultural Immersion: Teachers can use YouTube 360 videos to immerse students in various countries, traditions, and environments, thereby increasing cultural knowledge and understanding.

Collaborative Viewing: Students can watch and discuss 360-degree videos together, exchanging observations and insights to promote worldwide collaboration.

Lesson Plan: Exploring Global Landmarks with Veative

The lesson plan objective would be to explore and learn the chosen global landmarks using Veatives’s VR modules.

The materials needed would be the Veative app downloaded onto a tablet, and worksheet with questions to help guide exploration.

The introduction would be to introduce the chosen landmark/s, and why it is important, then divide the students into pairs or small groups.

The student will then explore the virtual world with the Veative app.  Encourage the students to take notes about what they find, to later discuss its significance.

The students will now take place in a group discussion.  Students will share what they saw and found.  Students can compare and contrast the different things explored virtually, highlighting the diversity of the global cultures.  

Then, reflect as a whole class on how important it is for understanding and appreciating global diversity.  Ask students how they can use what they learned when they do global collaborations.  

Virtual and Augmented Reality can be amazing tools for the classroom, especially Augmented Reality (AR). With AR, all you need is a device with a camera and anything can be projected onto your surroundings. This is incredibly useful for schools, because it allows students to interact with objects they might not be able to otherwise.

For example, the app AR Chemistry Lab has tons of experiments. You don’t need access to any kind of glassware or expensive chemicals. Not only is this great for schools with less funding, but it works for classes with students who can’t handle using real chemistry equipment.

Of course, there are many more AR apps out there. There are infinite possibilities for VR/AR software, and infinite possibilities for including it in lesson plans.

Creating and presenting interactive presentations, formative or summative exams, and content on social justice, digital citizenship, vocabulary, SEL, and other topics may all be done with Nearpod. With Nearpod, teachers may incorporate interactive elements into any lesson—in a physical or virtual classroom. The idea is straightforward. A teacher can make interactive presentations with polls, videos, collaborate boards, quizzes, and other features.

The Nearpod app has a ton of amazing features. Its ability to create and share interactive presentations is possibly its best feature. This is an excellent method of involving pupils in the class and keeping their attention. Moreover, Nearpod offers an abundance of tools and resources to assist users in making the most of the app. Additionally, Nearpod users form a vibrant community that is always eager to lend a hand and encourage one another. It is among the most widely used educational applications on the market. There are numerous explanations for its appeal. However, let’s talk about how it functions and is accessible first.

Nearpod has numerous advantages when used in the classroom.

• It can, for starters, aid in boosting enthusiasm and involvement among students. Even if prepackaged classes can be edited and virtual reality can be incorporated into the classroom, learning can still be engaging.
• The interactive and multimedia-rich nature of Nearpod classes can also aid to maintain students’ interest in the subject matter.
• With Nearpod, educators can easily implement gamification in the classroom without requiring many tab clicks.
• Educators can offer students a more interactive learning environment by utilizing 3D models and simulations.
• Teachers can use Nearpod for post-session reports and immediate feedback.
• Finally, teachers may design a more customized remote learning experience for students because they can engage in Nearpod sessions using their own devices.

Here is an image of a Nearpod lesson for k-2 about Earth Day. I would use this Nearpod in my classroom.

Some Nearpod courses promote international cooperation by including virtual field visits to various locations, group projects with students from various countries, discussions of global concerns, cultural exchange activities, and language learning chances. Nearpod helps kids from different backgrounds develop empathy, cooperation, and cross-cultural communication skills through these exercises.

Nearpod is an educational platform designed to enrich classroom learning through interactive lessons and presentations. It empowers educators to create engaging content incorporating multimedia, interactive activities, quizzes, polls, and even virtual reality experiences. With Nearpod, teachers can deliver these lessons directly to students’ devices, fostering real-time engagement and feedback. Additionally, Nearpod offers features for teachers to track student progress and assess comprehension, ultimately aiming to elevate classroom participation and active learning.

Nearpod offers a wide variety of pre-made lesson plans spanning different subjects and grade levels. Educators can also create their own customized lesson plans using Nearpod’s templates and tools. From history to science to language arts, Nearpod provides comprehensive resources to support engaging and effective teaching.

Some Nearpod lessons encourage global collaboration by incorporating virtual field trips to destinations worldwide, collaborative projects involving students from different regions, cultural exchange activities, discussions on global issues, and language learning opportunities. Through these activities, Nearpod fosters cross-cultural communication, teamwork, and empathy among students from diverse backgrounds.

Example Lesson: https://nearpod.com/t/social-studies/kindergarten/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month-k2-L133828595

The lesson I attached is a K-2 grade level lesson plan about Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Asian American Heritage Month is celebrated annually in May to honor the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This lesson includes embedded activities such as drag and drop, collaborate board, matching pairs, open ended questions and a quiz. With these tools, students will learn about cultural heritage.

This is a screenshot I took of the lesson plan from their website.

Website link: https://nearpod.com/

Nearpod allows users to chose the grade level you want to teach and gives you over one-thousand lessons to chose from!

Incorporating Virtual Reality into a classroom space is a cool and unique way of getting your students to learn. By allowing the child to have access to this technology, we are opening up a new door of education. VR in the classroom allows us to be fully immersed in the lesson. For example, if we are learning about animals wildlife, we can possibly join that animal’s environment and explore it by feeling like we are actually there. We can also learn math from a different perspective by having virtual reality at hand. This type of learning allows students to almost problem solve in a new perspective. It gives them the chance to investigate the situation while still learning the foundation of what the lesson is. Having Global Collaborations about different cultures and environments where other people in the world live is also a cool and unique use of having this tool inside the classroom. I think having a VR headset in a classroom would be a cool and fun addition to the classroom, and I would love to see what this form of technology would bring inside my own personal classroom when I have one.