Jamboard, like many of Google’s other products, is an amazing tool. It’s easy to use, powerful, and integrates into any content area or grade level. What makes it even better is that there are LOTS of great educational templates that are readily available for teachers and instructional coaches to use. Let’s take a look at a few of those now.
Using Jamboard
Before you can start copying some fabulous templates, it’s important to remember a couple of things. First, you can use the wonderful trick of typing “jam.new” into a browser address bar like you can with almost all of the other Google tools to start a new Jamboard. Or, if you want to spend more time, you can go into the Google Apps waffle from any Google tool in your browser. Then, scroll down until you see the Jamboard icon.
Second, to use one of the templates below, you’ll be asked to make a copy of each one to your Google Drive. That way, you can edit them as you like and use them with your elementary students.
Cross-Curricular Templates
- I love this morning meetings calendar. It features a place for the weather, seasons, and counting practice. And it’s colorful!
- Using this See, Think, Wonder template will help students develop thinking routines. And with the emojis, it’s just cute!
- Take a poll using Jamboard. Divide a into several parts and have students vote on their choice by placing a sticky with their name on it in the part. This can be great for selecting the next book to read, the next activity, and more. This site offers lots of other great ideas, too.
- This Question of the Day (or week) is great for getting students thinking. Write your question in the center and have students post their thoughts and ideas around it.
- Eric Curts offers 12 different rainbow scratch-off templates that are fun and beautiful. Use them to reveal vocabulary words or math problems for students to solve.
Jamboard Templates for ELA
- Alice Keeler has five different handwriting templates that work great for younger students. One way to use them is demonstrate how certain letters should be made and then have your students recreate them themselves.
- Next, check out the magnetic letters Jamboard template. This works great as a center for spelling and vocabulary words.
- Help your students develop editing skills by working with their peers on this Glows and Grows Jamboard.
- All students can learn with a Sentence Maker template. But it’s especially effective for ESL students. You also find several other Jamboard ideas at this site.
- Vocabulary words must be learned in lots of subjects. And having the students play word detective to learn them is a fun way to go. This template will help.
Templates for Math
- While actual base 10 blocks are most effective with young learners, virtual ones can be good, too. Check out this set.
- This place value grid allows students to move digital sticky notes around the board. You can change the notes out as students learn different numbers.
- Help your students develop their word problem skills with this free equations template from Teachers Pay Teachers.
- Check out the pattern building and math modeling templates for primary students here.
- There are a number of math jams available here broken out by grade level (kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and grades 3-5).
If those aren’t enough Jamboard activities for you, then take a look at this Wakelet of even more templates and get your jam on! And, if you want to learn more about how to best use Jamboard with students of any age, check out TCEA’s online, self-paced course Google Jamboard. Priced at just $29, the course will help you master unique ideas for using Jamboard, how best to share boards with your students, and collaborative ways to foster engagement and learning. Finally, this blog will showcase how you can use Jamboard to help with social-emotional learning.
