Smartboards in the Classroom

One of the most time-consuming tasks with the SmartBoard used to be creating text boxes with new vocabulary, creating geometric shapes to match, changing the background color of the boxes, rearranging the order of both geometric shape and textbox and THEN grouping them together.

The object of all this effort, of course, was to create vocabulary words or labels that can be moved around the SmartBoard to show comprehension.

Well, now a new resource has come out that eliminates all this effort. It's called "Word Magnets" and comes to us from educators in the UK. Here's the link. Have fun!

Attachment(s): http://www.xmleducation.co.uk/magnets.html

Here's a new resource full of new SmartBoard lessons and podcasts. 

Attachment(s): http://pdtogo.com/

Here are some basic formatting ideas for creating your SmartBoard lesson.

• Keep your presentation short - no more than 6 pages for 30 minutes.
• Make your first slide really interesting.  It's what the kids will see when they come into your classroom.  Check out the wonderful templates in the gallery - see "people" then scroll down to the last section. Look for the "classroom" template.  Personalize with your name in a textbox.  Add your "aim" or"to-do" and you're ready to start.
• Use colorful backgrounds.  It helps get their attention.
• Remember the rule - bright background - dark font/ dark background - light font.
  
• Always project your lesson before the kids arrive.  Check to see what they will see from the back of the room.  Remember, the color you see on the laptop will not be the color you project.
  
• Remember to use your second slide well.  Make it the instruction slide and be sure to include new vocabulary. Try hiding the definitions behind the words and have the kids "discover" the meanings below.
• Make your third and fourth slides the heart of your lesson.  Be sure that they are interactive (require the kids to get up and come to the Smartboard), multimedia (use those flash activities in the gallery) and use the Internet resources.
  
• Slide five is your connecting slide to follow-up activities.
• Slide six is your conclusion.  Hint:  Match the background color to the first slide. 
  

Be creative!

Now that you've learned how to set up your SmartBoard and explored all its tools, you're ready to begin creating lessons for your students.  But where do you start?  Here's a pdf file that gives detailed instructions with a hands-on activity for practice.


                                       
Attachment(s): Smartboard LessonPlanningmac_notebook_classroom.pdf