Teachers Love SMART Boards

SMART Notebook Challenge #12 Solution - Watch This

This is the solution to Challenge #12 called "Watch This." This challenge was to encourage teachers to utilize the new Page Recorder feature of Notebook 10.

For this week's challenge, I demonstrated how the Page Recorder could be used to solve an anagram. The submissions for this week's challenge used it in a variety of ways including solving a pattern, showing number examples, demonstrating proper cursive writing, showing solution to a sorting activity, and solving a Math problem.

Another great feature of the Page Recorder is the ability to save your recorded page in the Gallery. This allows teachers to build an extensive library of animated demonstrations that can be used over and over again.

Here's the solution video of how I used the Page Recorder:

I would like to thank all the people who submitted entries this week. Your ideas were inspiring! This week's Gold Medal winner is Sarah Snyder and the Silver Medal winner is Janetta Garton. Congratulations!

If you have difficulties viewing the video, you can watch it on YouTube.

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SMART Notebook Challenge #12 - Watch This!

This week's challenge is to create a moving solution to an anagram using Smart Notebook v10.

To complete this challenge, you will have to use one of the new features of version 10 called the Page Recorder.

The Page Recorder records the actions you make on a page and allows you to play it back as a movie. It's a great way to demonstrate something inside the classroom. 

Here's a video demonstration of this week's challenge:

Please submit your challenge Notebook file to my email at jim@teacherslovesmartboards.com.

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SMART Notebook Challenge #11 - Random Number (Solution)

I hope you'll be as amazed as I was with the submissions for this week's challenge - Random Number. The challenge was to create a custom random number generator that you could use inside the classroom using your SMART Board interactive whiteboard. 

I created this challenge as a way to encourage teachers to modify Gallery objects to fit the needs of the lesson. What I received in response to this challenge far exceeded my expectations. 

The Gold Medal winner this week is Jennifer Gibson and the Silver Medal winner is Hanse Madsen. Congratulations!!! Keep reading for how you can see both Jennifer and Hanse's random number generator submissions!

Because I received so many amazing solutions to this challenge, I decided to create an entire Gallery Collection of the random number generators and share it with my readers.

Here's the solutions video that also highlights some of the submissions for this challenge:

You can download the Random Number Gallery here. When you open the file, it should import the Gallery into your My Content folder. You can also go to your My Content folder in the Gallery and right-click on the folder and then select "Add to My Content." 

If you like any of the custom generators, please leave a comment in the comment area for this post and let that person know. The page title of each random number generator contains the name of the person who submitted that entry.

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SMART Notebook Challenge #10 - Double Trouble Solution

This is the solution for Challenge #10 - Double Trouble. The challenge was to provide both an animated visual feedback and a audio feedback to students when they touched either a correct or incorrect answer on the SMARTBoard.

The purpose of this challenge is to try to encourage more teachers to use audio in their lessons to increase student engagement.

Here's the solution video for Challenge #10:

Here are a few resources (thanks Carlynn!) for finding audio files to use with your lessons:

MovieWavs
Soundsnap.com
Wavecentral.com
Partners in Rhyme - Human Sound Effects

I highly recommend using mp3 files inside Notebook. If you have a different format, you can always convert it to mp3 using the Zamzar website.

If you have difficulties viewing the video, you can watch it on YouTube

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SMART Notebook Challenge #11 - Random Number

This week's Notebook challenge is to create your own custom random number generator.

To complete this challenge, you will have to use one item found in your Gallery. Your random number generator can generate random numbers using any range of numbers. My example gives random numbers between 1 and 36.

The purpose of this challenge is to encourage you to modify existing objects in your Gallery to make them look and work exactly the way you want. Remember, you're in control; if you don't like something, change it so it suits your needs!

Here's a video that demonstrates how my random number generator looks and functions:

If you're having problems viewing this video, you can watch it on YouTube.

(The solution for challenge 10 will be posted soon!)

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SMARTBoards and the Double-Trouble Feedback Challenge

Here's a great little challenge that shouldn't take too much of your time but is sure to make your Notebook applications twice as fun!

The challenge is called Double-Trouble Feedback and the objective is to create an activity that uses both sound and animation to provide student feedback when an object is touched. I'll be looking for some really great feedback sounds!

Here's an example of the double-trouble feedback:

If you're looking for some sounds to use, I have a few you can download. These sounds were downloaded from the website SoundSnap.com. They are all mp3 files and should work great in your Notebook application.

Download He-s a chirpy little fellow- isn-t he
Download If that-s all you can do then that-s all you can do
Download That doesnt apply here
Download The best baby -froggy throat
Download What a shot- what a goal
Download Whoa- i didn-t think you had that in ya

It would be wonderful if you could include some fun sound files (mp3 format only) to share with others.

Please send your challenge entries to me using this email address.

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SMARTBoards and Solutions for Evenly Spacing Objects

This is the solution for Challenge #9: Precise Object Spacing. This was definitely a fun challenge and I received some outstanding submissions for completing it.

Ann White is this week's extreme challenge winner and she definitely deserves the title "Faster than the Master" (or at least, as fast as the master) for completing the challenge in approximately 19 seconds.

I had two techniques that I used to complete this challenge. The first one was very similar to Ann's technique. It used a spacer object and the alignment guides to evenly space objects on a page. Ann improved on my idea in the sense that she used a rectangle instead of a line as her spacer object. Another submission cloned one of the smiley faces, resized it and used it as the spacer object. Ingenious!

Here's Ann's submission video.

My second technique used an spacer object that I created and placed inside the Gallery. The object consisted of 6 evenly sized rectangles that were grouped together. My technique was to drag the object to the work area, expand it according to how much space I wanted in between my objects, ungroup it back into six rectangles and then use the alignment guides to set my objects on the page. Using this technique, I was also able to evenly space my objects in approximately 19 seconds.

Here's a video of using a spacer object consisting of rectangles

I think the best and easiest technique is the one Ann uses.

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SMARTBoards and the "Picture This" Challenge Solution

Here is the solution for Challenge #8 - Picture This.

The response to this challenge was incredible and many of the people who submitted entries mentioned how much fun they had and how amazed they were when they figured out how to complete it.

The objective of this challenge was to transform a Notebook page containing a picture and an object (top image) using only the items in the toolbar. The image of the girl needed to be placed behind the desk and eating the apple that used to be on the table. The chalk is moved from the chalkboard and placed in the teacher's hair and the words "I love SMARTBoards" are written on the blackboard (bottom image).

This challenge was initially created to help teachers understand object layering although I would imagine that many teachers are much more adept at using the screen capture tool and the "set picture transparency" option.

The Gold Medal winner for Challenge #8 is Jennifer Gibson and the Silver Medal winner is Stu Smith.

Here's the solution video:

If you're having problems viewing this video, you can watch it on YouTube.

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SMART Notebook Challenge #9 - Precise Object Spacing

For those of you who find my challenges a little too easy, I have an extreme challenge for you called "Precise Object Spacing." Don't worry, you don't need any special Notebook skills or knowledge to complete this challenge, you just need to be a little creative.

To take part in this challenge, you will need to download the challenge #9 Notebook file. If you can complete the challenge, then write a brief description for how you completed it and send back the Notebook file with your completed solution and a description for how you did it.

This challenge also has an Extreme Challenge portion called "Faster than the Master." If you decide you want to compete in the Extreme Challenge portion, then you'll have to send a video to prove you did the challenge and that you were faster than the master.

Here's a video with more detail:

The first person to submit a video that demonstrates a technique for spacing objects precisely and can beat my best time will receive the first ever Faster than the Master award.

The challenge Notebook file has further instructions.

SMARTBoards and Getting Around (Solution for Challenge #7)

Sorry for the delay, but here is the solution for Challenge #7 - Getting Around.

The challenge was to create navigation buttons on each page of your Notebook file that allowed you to go to any other page in your file to make using the application easier on the SMARTBoard.

The Gold Medal winner for Challenge # 7 is Sherri Fricker and the Silver Medal winner is Tejinder Kaur. Sherri created a wonderful math game that used navigation buttons to get to the various pages and Tejinder created an animal classification review for reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Take a look at the solution video and watch how this technique was used on some actual Notebook applications.

I received some amazing submissions for this challenge. I have chosen three winners for the Best Classroom Application award but I could have easily chosen seven or eight. I'll describe each application and why I chose it.

Lori Reed submitted a book review application for Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen. She did a great job with the navigation and she also demonstrates a few of the built-in flash objects.

Ann White created a simple but extremely effective way to teach and review Mean, Median, and Mode. Here navigation was great and she used animation from other challenges!

Gerald Logan created a simple application about spider body parts. His method of using blue dots for navigation is very creative.

Lastly, here is Bernard's Notebook file that demonstrates a wonderful navigation template that uses images he got from the Build Your Wild Self website. The application is in Dutch but I think you'll be able to figure out how it works. Here is Bernard's description of the application:

I created a table and a laptop computer. Than created some students (on buildyourselfwild.com), used picture transparency to get rid of the background, and build my own classroom (a little tricky was the layering showing everything on it's place). To save some memory I made the class a background. Than I created 11 question pages and 11 answer pages. And linked them together (to meet the challenge requirements).

I had some problems to find a linkable place for the students (because they are in the background). I ended up making a square, almost transparent in a orange color to click on. If you watch closely you will see it (but on the board it's almost invisible). On the question (vraag) page you should click on the white balloon (not the text, although I could change that eventually).

Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry to this very important challenge. Your efforts in providing students with engaging learning activities continues to amaze and motivate me!

If you're having problems viewing this video, you can watch it on YouTube.

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