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 #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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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 Notebook Training: Revealing Information Using Animation - Series 1

I've just released a new course on my SMART Board Learning Management System called Notebook Techniques: Revealing Information Using Animation - Series 1.

This short-course will guide the participant through the process of using object animation as a way of providing instant feedback during a lesson.

In addition to learning how to apply the animation property to objects, participants will practice/learn how to place an image inside a color rectangle, group objects together, add and modify text object properties, and change the ordering of objects on a page.

This is a self-paced course and requires version 10 of the Smart Notebook software.

Participants receive 60 minutes of Professional Development Credit for completing this course and meeting course requirements.

Come Learn. Come Play. Come Share!

SMARTBoards and the "Secret Information" Solution

The Smart Notebook Challenge #2 is now in the books. It was a fun little challenge that utilized one of the properties of tables to create the effect of magically displaying "secret information" on your SMARTBoard.

The Gold Medal Winner for this challenge was Becky Poe and the Silver Medal goes to Valerie Byrnes. In addition, the first 10 entries will receive a prize. To see the results for challenge #2, check out the updated Hall of Fame page containing a listing of all the people who have completed the challenges successfully.

I was very impressed by the creativity teachers used in utilizing the "secret information" technique and how they applied the technique to the classroom. As an incentive for future creativity in applying the challenges to a classroom situation, I will be creating an award called "Best Classroom Application." This week's winner goes to Ann White who used the secret information technique to create a morning schedule application for her students. It's really cool!

Here's the video solution for this week's challenge:

Click on the picture to download Ann's "Award Winning" Notebook file called "Morning Schedule."

Congratulations to this week's winners!

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SMART Notebook v.10 Challenge #2

This week's Smart Notebook Challenge is to produce a cool effect for revealing secret information. I have not used this technique in the classroom yet but I'm sure it'll be a big hit with the students as well as add a little excitement when you need to reveal some simple information to the class using your SMART Board interactive whiteboard.

The technique will allow students (or teachers) to drag a picture on the Smartboard into a box and have it suddenly reveal some secret information.

Here's this week's video description of the Smart Notebook Challenge #2:

If you need any hints, please send me an email. I will accept challenge results through Thursday, October 2. I'll be awarding free Smart Notebook professional development opportunities to the 1st ten successful entries.  All other successful entries will be entered into the Teachers Love SMART Board Hall of Fame.

Please send your Notebook file for Challenge #2 to me at jim@teacherslovesmartboards.com.

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

Good luck!

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SMARTBoards and the Shrink and Grow Reveal Challenge

I hope you had as much fun as I did with the 1st Smart Notebook challenge. The response to the challenge was great and I'll try to post a new challenge each week.

The first challenge used the Shrink and Grow animation to reveal a hidden answer to a question. Already, teachers are telling me that the kids seem to really love using this effect to reveal answers on the SMARTBoard.

Our Gold medal winner for the first challenge was Lori Reed. She submitted her challenge not more than an hour after it was posted. Will Kirkwood from across the pond was still sleeping when Lori sent in her Notebook file but he was still able to get a correct solution in just a short time later.

Congratulations to Lori and Will and to all the people who were brave enough to undertake the challenge. Here's the Teachers Love SMART Boards Hall of Fame page.

Below is a video tutorial showing one way to complete the challenge. In addition, our Gold Medal winner Lori shares with us a Notebook file on the Solor System that uses the Shrink and Grow technique. Great example of sharing Lori!

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SMARTBoards and the Floating Finger of Fun

Do you want to be known as "the expert SMART Board user" in your school? Here's an advanced tip that allows you to turn your finger into a hovering mouse when using the Smartboard interactive whiteboard.

Unfortunately, the SMART Board doesn't know where your finger is until you touch the SMART Board surface. This causes a problem when you have a cool web application like the Crossword Puzzle game that knows where your mouse is hovering and displays helpful information on the computer screen.

Take a look at this short video to find out how you can turn your finger into a hovering mouse when using the Smartboard interactive whiteboard:

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SMARTBoards and a Table Object Up My Sleeve

I love incorporating tables using the SMARTBoard interactive whiteboard. However, many teachers are still a little shy about using them in their Notebook lessons. Here are a few tips and tricks for using the new Table Object in Smart Notebook v.10 that might make your Notebook lessons a little bit more exciting.

The tutorial will cover:

1. Moving a Table

2. Changing Your Row Heights

3. Using the Cell Shade

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SMARTBoards and Pop My Balloon Please

I provide a lot of support for teachers using the new version of SMART Notebook and I'm often asked to explain how to use the wonderful tools found in the Lesson Activity Toolkit.

One of the newest tools is the Balloon Pop tool. The Balloon Pop tool is a flash object that looks like a balloon and makes a popping noise and disappears when it's touched. This is useful for displaying information hidden behind the Balloon Pop object. You can use it to reveal positive and negative feedback, correct answers, or any type of information you want to hide until the balloon is popped.

Here's a short tutorial that demonstrates how to use the Balloon Pop tool with your SMARTBoard interactive whiteboard.

If you have a good idea for how to use the Balloon Pop object, please share it by leaving a comment!

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