Padlet is a web app that lets users post notes on a digital wall. The uses for this site in the classroom are virtually endless!
There’s a good chance you’ve done the “write on a sticky note and put it on the wall” activity — or have seen it happen before.
Padlet lets those sticky notes have images, links and videos AND be available with practically any Internet-ready device.
Padlet is a great place for gathering ideas, sharing them and modifying them later. It’s like a living, breathing webpage. Users can add links, YouTube videos, files and images to Padlet notes. They can move and arrange them. A link to a Padlet can be shared and Padlets can be embedded into webpages. Padlet in the classroom makes learning interactive by allowing students to share ideas, collaborate, and organize content easily.
Padlet has recently released some very exciting new updates including AI integration, templates, translated templates, the ability to freeze responses and MORE. Check out these new updates, then scroll down to find 20 ways to use Padlet in class including a brand new template you can use with each idea.
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Exciting Padlet updates
Padlet's latest release brings exciting updates to enhance your teaching experience with one of our favorite tools. These updates focused on streamlining workflows and saving time with features like the Template Gallery and Freeze Padlets. Explore some of our favorite updates below!
Padlet just released a powerful new AI-powered feature called Magic Padlet. This innovative tool allows you to generate content directly within Padlet, saving you lots of time and gives you a great start for your creations.
Here's a bit of what Magic Padlet can do:
- Craft engaging lesson plans: Simply provide your subject, grade level, and any specific requirements, and Magic Padlet will generate a plan tailored to your needs.
- Create interactive timelines and maps: Visualize historical events or geographical concepts with ease. Just tell Magic Padlet the topic and watch it populate a timeline or map padlet with relevant information.
- Generate diverse learning resources: Need a reading list, brainstorming activity, or assessment? Magic Padlet can handle it all, providing a variety of engaging resources to support your students.
Get ready to upgrade your Padlet game with the all-new Template Gallery! This new feature streamlines your Padlet creations for the classroom planning by offering over 250 new templates plus ideas for using them and examples.
Here's how the Template Gallery will help you enhance your lessons:
- Save valuable time: Ditch the blank canvas and jump-start your Padlet creations with a diverse range of templates designed for various classroom activities.
- Find the perfect fit: Whether you need a brainstorming board, a research organizer, or an interactive presentation tool, the categorized gallery makes finding the ideal template a breeze.
- Boost student engagement: Capture your students' attention with visually appealing and well-structured templates that enhance their learning experience.
Learn more: Template gallery: Browse over 250 templates in an organized, searchable gallery.
Padlet has a new feature that lets you freeze Padlets, making them a permanent record of your work.
Here's how it works:
- Lock in your content: Once you're happy with your padlet, simply click the three dots menu and select "Freeze padlet" to prevent any further edits. This is perfect for capturing brainstorming sessions, collaborative projects, or completed assignments.
- Maintain accessibility: Even when frozen, viewers can still access the padlet's content. This makes it a great way to showcase student work, share important resources, or keep track of class notes.
- Unlock flexibility: If you ever need to make changes, you can easily unfreeze the padlet and resume editing.
Note: Freezing a Padlet disables any existing breakout links or submission request links.
Learn more: Freeze padlets: You can now freeze padlets to lock in their content forever.
All 254 templates are translated into all 42 languages supported by Padlet. This means every piece of text on every template, instruction note, and description, will be translated to the language you choose.
Here's what you need to know:
- Multilingual access: Padlet now offers all 250+ templates translated into all of its 42 supported languages.
- Seamless experience: AI-powered translations ensure that students can work with templates in their preferred language, minimizing confusion and maximizing understanding.
- Enhanced inclusivity: With translated templates, you foster a more inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported, regardless of their native language.
Learn more: Translated templates: All 254 templates are translated into all 42 languages supported by Padlet.
20 ways to use Padlet in class now
We have recently updated each idea to include a possible template to use along with the activity. To get the templates you'll need to be logged into Padlet. Then head over to the template gallery, from there you can scroll down to find the template or search the gallery to find the suggested template or another one that fits your class better.
1. Bell ringer activity
Ask students what they remember from the previous day’s lesson. The ensuing page should summarize what still needs to be taught and should serve as a good place for students to review content.
Padlet Template: 3-2-1
Evaluate the success of your lesson by asking students what they learned, what they want to know more about, and what questions they still have.
2. Predicting activity
As you proceed through new content with students, stop and let them predict what will happen next with notes on a Padlet. Later, refer to the Padlet to see how close students’ guesses were.
Padlet Template: Read and Respond
Assign a reading and give students the space to discuss their thoughts.
3. Collaborative notetaking
While listening to a presentation, students can work together to add notes to a Padlet to produce a resource they can refer to later. This also works with staff meetings!
Padlet Template: Research Notes
Compile, organize, and share key findings, resources, and insights from research activities. Good for both teachers and students.
4. Event planning
If you’re planning a class party or a field trip, all of the information can go on a Padlet, including photos of the destination, a list of who’s bringing what, links to pertinent websites and more.
Padlet Template: Event Planner
Post tasks that need to be completed, supplies that need to be acquired, and deadlines that need to be met. Work with collaborators to plan an event.
5. Living webquest
Webquests have been static webpages that included links to sites and questions. They often didn’t change. Students can create a living webquest where new links are added continually. You can create questions at the end of the activity to the links available at that time.
Padlet Template: Link List
A centralized hub of clickable links. Guide visitors to various sites, platforms, or resources.
6. Exit ticket
What did you learn today? What didn’t make sense? What questions do you still have? Students can answer those questions on a Padlet and refer to it later.
Padlet Template: Exit Ticket
Let students reflect on the day's lesson, share what they've learned, and express any questions or areas of confusion.
7. QR code Padlet gallery
Students can create a Padlet with information/images/links on a certain topic. When done, they can print a QR code to it (use the “Share/Export” button on the right) and a related image and/or title. Place those QR codes around the room so students can see each other’s work.
Padlet Template: Personal Portfolio
Showcase your best work, projects, or accomplishments in a structured collection.
8. Ask for suggestions or ideas
Let students, parents or others share ideas for improving. Be careful, though — asking for suggestions like this can begin a flame war of negative messages. You can enable moderating (Settings > Privacy > Moderate posts) so you approve posts before they’re public.
Padlet Template: Suggestion Box
Students offer insights or recommend improvements.
9. Class document hub
Upload important class files to a Padlet so students can go there to download them any time.
Padlet Template: File Manager
Post, organize, store essential documents, resources, and links. Share the board or keep it for your own use.
10. Whiteboard answers
For a more personal and engaging touch to answering questions, students can write answers to questions or ideas on a small whiteboard. Then, using a camera on their devices, they can snap a picture of themselves holding the whiteboard (or sheet of paper) and post it to a Padlet.
Padlet Template: Photo Gallery
Collect and share your favorite memories with a beautiful collaborative photo gallery.
11. Field trip documentation
Going on a trip? Add pictures of it to a wall using the camera on your device — or on student devices. If you have access to wi-fi or cellular data, upload those photos on the fly. Give parents the link before leaving and they’ll be able to see updates instantly during the day!
Padlet Template: Virtual Field Trip
Explore distant locations and allow students to immerse themselves without leaving their seats.
12. Poster presentations
Replace poster boards with Padlet. Have students add images, information and links. Then embed them in a class website.
Padlet Template: Poster Presentations
Students display and view posters on one digital board. Students can comment and admire other work
13. Research resource gathering
Students (or groups) can create their own individual Padlets to hold ideas, sources, etc. for research. That way, they won’t lose important papers and everyone will have access if someone’s absent!
Padlet Template: Resource Board
Store and share documents, videos, files, songs, or anything else important for you.
14. Class/club updates
Create a message board for your class or club with a Padlet to announce changes, post photos or deliver important information. Take it to the next level and have updates sent via email or text using this trick.
Padlet Template: Announcements
Post vital class updates, upcoming events, and important dates. Keep students and parents informed and engaged with class happenings.
15. Collect videos to share in class
Gather all the YouTube videos you want to show your class in one place. Those videos are clickable and viewable from the Padlet. Then, post a link to the Padlet on a class website (or just provide the link) so absent students can watch to catch up.
Padlet Template: Video Playlist
Create and share videos in an ordered playlist.
16. Sub lesson plans
Need to miss a day of school? Create links, add photos and post videos to leave for your substitute teacher to provide students. Include a video of you giving directions so there’s no miscommunication!
Padlet Template: Substitute Teacher Guide
Prepare a comprehensive guide for your substitute. Outline daily routines, key policies, and essential contacts.
17. Interactive storytelling
Create a story and ask students where it should go next. Students can type their ideas into the Padlet. Take student ideas and continue story.
Padlet Template: Collaborative Storytelling
Each new contributor posts the next part of a collaborative story.
18. Image tagging
Have students upload a picture as a background. They can post notes on that message to highlight and explain certain parts of the image.
Padlet Template: Canvas
A freeform surface where posts can be created, connected, dragged, and dropped with no restrictions.
19. Introductions
Students can create an introductory Padlet at the beginning of the school year showing things about themselves. They could revisit it at the end of the year to see if it’s changed.
Padlet Template: About Us
A digital introduction space. Students and teachers post a photo and answer icebreaker questions.
20. Gather responses globally
Create a Padlet with a question and post it on Twitter, a blog or other social media. (A hashtag like #comments4kids could help more people see it and respond.) See where in the world responses come from!
Padlet Template: Where I'm From
Share where you're from on an interactive map.
Looking for FREE Tech Like A PIRATE resources?
You’ll find a treasure trove of additional ideas and activities related to the book at TechLikeAPirate.com!
Looking for some more ideas? These sites have them!
- 32 Interesting Ways to Use Padlet in the Classroom
- Padlet page from Public Schools of North Carolina
- “Padleting Together” from a fourth-grade teacher
Do you have an idea of how you could use Padlet in class? Post it in a comment below!
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Great ideas! I use Padlet with my AP Seminar students for their research projects. It functions a lot like the old notes on notecards research method. However, students can link their source to their notes, and then create categories to sort their notes into an essay organizer (intro., body 1, body 2, etc.).
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Woww… Thats awesome post, i’m really so interesting about this, very nice 🙂
Padlet seems useful for students who enter classes after Sept. They can use it as a gallery of what has occurred . They can view images of lessons as examples and post questions if they want further explanation or add to discussions they’ve missed.
I am looking into incorporating a Genius Hour. Padlet would be a great place for each student to keep their notes, articles, questions, pictures, etc….
I also have students upload their slide shows to a padlet so that we can access them quickly as they present them individually to the class.
I use Padlet toutes communicate with my pupils. No need for an email adress for my students. They post their questions and everybody can reply. At least I don’t have to answer the same questions several times!
I published a blog post a few weeks ago on Padlet too! It is my favorite classroom tool. I get students to create projects (ebooks, videos, choose-your-own-adventures, animations, posters etc) and put them on Padlet. I get them all to do a slightly different topic (eg different countries in Eastern Europe) and then I ask them to look at each of their classmates and grade them using a rubric I supply. I then add all the scores each student receives and determine a class winner. Prize is usually chocolate and extra credit.
I love that Padlet allows the students to easily see each other’s creations. And by viewing them they are learning from each other – and not just from me.
[…] 20 Ways to Use Padlet in the Classroom Now […]
As a online school I have used Padlet to display student work like a digital classroom wall.
Thanks for this great post. Glad to hear padlet is now working within your network and are discovering a lot of ways to use it in class.
Great post with some really useful. I wrote about it a while ago on Free Tech for Schools and it’s good to find out some other ways people are using it
Cannot wait to try Padlet!
I require students to make a Facebook like page using Padlet for a character from a short story or novel we have read in class. I specify certain requirements and then allow the students some freedom to add other items on the page. My online students also introduce themselves using Padlet. I give them certain requirements too such as a picture of themselves, pictures of pets, links to Web sites they use frequently, and other useful bits of information.
This is great, Matt! I LOVE Padlet! I’ve also been working on a blog post with this idea…great minds! Thanks for all you do and share! Can’t wait for #GTAATX!