Teachers Love SMART Boards

SMARTBoards and Wordle

I have a draft about a website called Wordle that I was planning on posting next week. However, I found a much better post about Wordle that also has a fun lesson plan. The post called Wordle: Using Word Clouds in a Lesson comes from one of my favorite blogs called Box of Tricks. I highly recommend that you subscribe to the blog. In his post, José describes how he uses an interactive whiteboard to help with the lesson.

If you come up with any cool ways to use Wordle, let us know!

Here's the "word cloud" for my last post on Smartboards and Algebra. See if you can guess what my post is about before you read it.

Thanks José for another great post!

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SMART Boards and Algebra

For teachers looking for a fun way to use the SMARTBoard to help teach Algebra concepts, why not have your students create their own instruction videos.

1. Start by introducing your students to an Algebra concept using whatever textbook or handout you have available. (The boring method)
2. Next, go to Algebasics, find a similar problem, and display the problem on the SMART Board.
3. Tell the students they are going to be creating their own videos just like the Algebasics site
4. Divide students in to groups of three and give each group a similar problem to solve and tell them that they will be creating their own video to put on the Internet to help other students.
5. Check student work and ask them to prepare their video by breaking their problem into steps
6. Have them write the steps on a video preparation worksheet
7. Go to the Sketchcast website and have students record their instruction videos.
8. After the students create the instruction videos, work with your technology coordinator to get the videos put on a blog or school website. (If your Technology Coordinator is more concerned with locking out websites than supporting student learning, let me know and I can help with getting videos displayed on your own school blog).

 
This process works best in a student-centered learning environment and can be modified to fit into your normal class period. For example, you can break up this lesson into multiple days and have one group record their video each day. Students will be fascinated watching other groups record their videos and will be thoroughly engaged in learning. This lesson is highly effective with at-risk students since they will be sharing their knowledge in a unique and exciting way.

For more information on creating a Sketchcast, please see my blog post called SMART Board and Sketchcast.

This process is worth spending some time perfecting and it is a great way to impress parents, students, administrators, and especially your fellow teachers!

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Teachers Love SMART Board Requests

I am keeping my blog going through the Summer and I would love to respond to your requests. So? What kind of resources do you need for your SMART Board interactive whiteboard? Do you need a great ELL site? Do you need Middle School Algebra resources that are easy to use with the Smartboard? Do you need version 10 training?

Let me know and I'll do my very best to respond to each request.

By the way, thank you to everyone who responded about wanting to learn how to create an educational blog this Summer. I will be getting back to everyone with more information very soon!

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SMARTBoards and Teaching With SMARTBoard Video Podcast

I definitely don't post enough about my favorite video podcast called Teaching With SMARTBoard.

If you're looking to increase your knowledge of Smartboards and learn great ways of using SmartBoards and Notebook in the classroom, this is the best resource available. Dave and Scott always have great tips for enhancing your lessons and using Notebook in ways that you've probably never thought of before.

Here's their latest video podcast called Process Circuits and Our Favorite Podcast and Blog. I can't wait to hear their choice for favorite blog!

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SMART Boards and YouTube

Want a fun way to find, display, and watch YouTube videos? Check out TimeTube! After you do your search, you can even change the way the information is displayed. The application works great with the Smartboard interactive whiteboard.

Here's a screen shot of my search for Smartboard videos. Can you find any of mine?:


Have fun with this one! Thank you Tumbl'n Teachers (glad you're back) for sharing this great resource.

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SMART Boards and More Flash Games

Hey Jim! How about some more of those fun little flash games you used to give away. I promise I'll use them strictly for educational use. :o)

Here are two games that work great with a Smartboard interactive whiteboard:

1. 3DReversi - Here's a fun version of the strategy game that has two levels of play.


2. Monster Memory - You have to be quick to win this one. It has a timer!


You should be able to right-click an download these flash games to your computer.

Enjoy, and remember to use these games for educational use only.

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SMART Boards and Grammar Ninja Update

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about The Grammar Ninja flash application that you can download and use with your Smartboard interactive whiteboard. Click here to read about this wonderful application.

The developer of the application KWarp (Greg) recently sent me an update to Grammar Ninja with the following comment:

I've updated the game so that you get more feedback from the blue box when adding your own sentences. Remember, if you add 10 or more sentences of the same difficulty, it will erase the default ones.

Grammar Ninja allows you to enter your own sentences using the Sentence Creator for Windows.exe application. Please follow the instructions in the read me files or watch my video below to make sure you understand how to use your own sentences. I honestly believe that the Sentence Creator application is as powerful a tool for learning as is the Grammar Ninja application.

Video on Setting up Grammar Ninja:

You can download the zip files containing the necessary files here.

Thanks for the update Greg!

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