The Best Free Tech Tools for Snow Days or Distance Learning Days

Snow days don’t have to mean lost learning opportunities. With a little preparation and the right technology, you can keep your students engaged and progressing even when they’re at home. These free and easy-to-use tools are designed to make remote learning days smooth and successful for everyone involved.

1. Classroomscreen

Classroomscreen is an incredibly versatile tool that helps bring structure and organization to your lessons, even when students are learning from home. It works like a virtual whiteboard where you can display timers, widgets, text boxes, and even drawing tools.

Here’s how you can use Classroomscreen for snow days:

• Daily Agenda: Set up a daily agenda to help students follow the day’s schedule.

• Name Picker: Use the random name picker to engage students during live calls.

• Timers: Display timers for independent work to keep students on task.

• Visual Instructions: Share important links or instructions in a text box that students can easily reference.

Whether you’re running a live session or providing students with instructions to follow on their own, Classroomscreen helps create a visual anchor that keeps everything organized and accessible.

2. Loom

Loom is a must-have tool for asynchronous teaching. It allows you to record yourself teaching a lesson, walking through instructions, or explaining a concept, and then share a simple link for students to watch.

Why is Loom perfect for snow days?

• No file downloads required: Students just click the link to watch the video on any device.

• Record your screen and webcam: Demonstrate how to solve a problem, navigate a website, or annotate a text while students see your face for a more personal connection.

• Pause and replay: Students can revisit the video if they need clarification, ensuring they don’t miss anything important.

With Loom, you can ensure that your students stay on track and feel supported, even if you're not meeting live. Loom is free for teachers, you just need to get verified as teacher in your settings.

3. Symbaloo

Symbaloo helps eliminate confusion about where to find resources by acting as a digital launchpad for all the links your students might need. This visual bookmarking tool lets you create a grid of icons for websites, tools, and resources, which students can access from any device.

Here’s how to make the most of Symbaloo on snow days:

• Group resources by subject: Create separate sections for math, reading, science, and other subjects to keep everything organized.

• Include extra resources: Add links to practice games, videos, or enrichment activities for students who finish early.

• Minimize login confusion: Link directly to tools and platforms students already use, so they don’t waste time searching or typing in URLs.

By setting up Symbaloo in advance, you ensure that your students have everything they need at their fingertips when they’re learning from home.

Symbaloo Example

4. Edpuzzle

Videos are an excellent way to deliver content, and Edpuzzle takes them to the next level by making them interactive. With Edpuzzle, you can embed questions, notes, or voice comments directly into any video.

Why use Edpuzzle for snow days?

• Keep students accountable: Students must answer embedded questions to proceed through the video, ensuring they stay engaged.

• Adapt existing content: Take a YouTube video or one you’ve created and customize it to fit your lesson objectives.

• Track progress: See which students watched the video and how they performed on the questions, giving you valuable insight into their understanding.

Edpuzzle transforms passive video-watching into an active learning experience that holds students accountable for their learning, even at home.

5. Formative

Formative is the ultimate tool for creating and managing digital assignments. It allows you to design worksheets, quizzes, and assessments that students can complete online in real-time.

Here’s how Formative shines on snow days:

• Multiple question types: Include multiple-choice, open-ended, true/false, or even drawing questions to suit any subject.

• Real-time monitoring: Watch as students answer questions and provide instant feedback if they get stuck.

• Automatic grading: Save time by letting Formative grade assignments for you, so you can focus on supporting students.

• Flexible integration: Upload a PDF of a worksheet you already have and turn it into an interactive activity in minutes.

Formative not only keeps students working during snow days but also gives you valuable insight into their progress and understanding.

6. Blooket

If you want to make learning on snow days fun and engaging, look no further than Blooket. This interactive platform allows students to answer questions while playing a variety of mini-games, turning practice into play.

How to use Blooket effectively:

• Assign games as homework: Create a question set on any topic and let students play independently at their own pace anytime.

• Different game modes: If you are live with your class, choose from modes like Tower Defense, Gold Quest, or Fishing Frenzy to keep things fresh and exciting.

• Track student performance: Get a report on how students performed, so you can identify areas for review.

Blooket combines education with entertainment, making it an excellent way to keep students engaged from a distance.

Pro Tip: Practice First!

Before the snow falls, make sure students are familiar with these tools. Introduce them in your classroom and give students a chance to practice logging in, navigating the platform, and completing a simple activity. That way, when the day comes, students will be ready to use these tools with confidence.

With these tools in your toolkit, snow days can be an opportunity for learning, creativity, and connection. What are your go-to tech tools for distance learning? Share your ideas in the Every Teacher Tech Ready Facebook group— I’d love to hear them!

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