Helping my students log in to every website we used in class was exhausting at the beginning of the year. I would need to show them which search bar they need to type the web address into, fix their typos, show them which buttons to push, and then type in 24 usernames and passwords because the kids didn’t know where the keys were.
Brutal.
There are many great solutions to this problem, my favorite is Google Classroom. However, if you do not have a school that supports Google products, life gets a little harder.
At least that’s what I thought until I found Symbaloo.
Teachers can get a free premium account! Go to symbaloo.com and sign up. It took me forever to figure out how to customize the premade one, so here is a little tutorial.
1. Click on the icons that say, “My Web Mix”
2. Click on Add a Web Mix.” You can name it whatever you want. Make sure it’s empty and click “Add.”
3. Click on “Settings” to change the background to an image you have on your computer, or they have some pre-made wallpapers for you.
4. To add the websites that you want to use, click on “Add New Tile.”
5. Open a new tab. Highlight the web address you want to add to your Symbaloo
6. Click on “add tile” or “add to webmix” and you’re set!
Now when I want my students to navigate to a website, they just need to click on the icon.
Here are some websites I’ve added to my Symbaloo:
- Blooket
- Whooo’s Reading
- Prodigy
- Dance Mat Typing
- Splash Learn
- Mastery Connect
- iCivics
- Interland
- Ducksters
- Room Recess
- Boddle
- School Website
- Google Drive
- SafeSearch by Symbaloo
- PBS Kids
- Epic
- Storyline Online
- National Geographic Kids
- Clever
- Funbrain
- Freckle
- Duolingo
- Toy Theater Math Manipulatives
A pro tip would be to ask the IT person at your school to set this page as your internet homepage!
Have fun saving time and energy with this amazing website!
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