What? Wheel of Names is an online, random name picker application that can be used for in-person or virtual classes. To set up a wheel or create a free account to store several wheels, go to https://wheelofnames.com.
Why? Wheel of Names has a variety of uses in the Classroom and can promote equity, engagement, and creativity.
Equity: When used as a random name picker, the Wheel of Names gives all students an equal chance to participate. You can set up the wheel to eliminate names after they are called to avoid repeats.
Engagement: The wheel can be used for game-based learning or activities to review for an assessment or practice concepts, vocabulary, and language skills.
Creativity. Adding visual or verbal entries to the wheel can prompt engaging discussions or help students brainstorm ideas for writing, drawing, or research.
Where? If you want to learn more about the Wheel of Names and how to use it in the Classroom, here are a few resources:
- Follow this tutorial to set up your wheel and learn to use the basic and advanced settings: How to Use WHEEL OF NAMES for Teachers | My favorite virtual spinner! – YouTube
- Watch this YouTube video to learn how to embed Wheel of Names into Google Slides: https://youtu.be/PzevKLt5fgA
Check out these resources for activity ideas using Wheel of Names:
- Ways to Use Wheel of Names in the Classroom | Classroom Games
- Wheel of Names Tutorial + 5 Ways to Use it in Your Classroom Today
- Wheel of Names | Literacy Minnesota (literacymn.org)
- Visit the Chapman University Website for more ideas for using Wheel of Names in the classroom, with the following link (https://blogs.chapman.edu/academics/2021/03/25/teaching-tips-thursday-wheel-of-names/)
For more information about using the Wheel of Names in the classroom, contact Angela Lanier @ Angela.Lanier@montogmerycollege.edu