Beginners
Beginners, I hope you are trying out each lesson as it comes. Comment to me below if anything is really working (or not working) for you.
Now that you have played with your projector buttons and played with using your board like a whiteboard, it is time to try out an online resource. Click on the following site:
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_154_g_1_t_1.html?from=category_g_1_t_1.html
This is a math applet. Try using your finger to drag one of the little cubes in the ones column. Now try dragging your finger across the top of the ones column and down the right side. You should see a line form into a box around all the little cubes in the ones place column...and when you let go--Voila! Magic ten stick! Move the ten stick over the the tens column--see how the math problem is done for you on the right? Now hit new problem and try a few more. Enjoy!
Advanced
Advanced users, are you having fun yet? Those sites I sent to you last week are just the beginning of a wonderful relationship with the Internet. Prior to making your own powerpoints--check that field trip site. Prior to creating your own gallery objects for a math lesson--check that virtual library of manipulatives. Add those sites to your browser favorites--you will want them at-the-ready.
Now, what other exciting things can work nicely with the smartboard? I will give you more sites to try out today.
Are you studying animals? How about giving your students a "live experience?" In many zoos and aquariums, web cameras have been set up so folks can check in on animals in their habitats. Here is an article with some webcam links at the bottom:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech100.shtml
How about looking at and making art on the smartboard? The following site is such a fun learning experience. You may need to download an update to shockwave to make the programming work--but it is fast and easy to do so. Once the all the installs are complete (less than 2 minutes for me)--check out the slide show of paintings already set up for you (no powerpoint required)--then try the collage activity at the top for starters. What fun!
http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm
Enjoy.
Cheers,
Bonita
Friday, November 30, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Kudos and Announcements
Kudos to...
--the second grade team at Highlands that was seen visiting a virtual field trip sight (Mayflower?) and chatting online with experts this past week. Doesn't that full projection screen come in handy for such activities?
--Dawn Hughes for demonstrating her board ideas as part of the Highlands Staff Development in November.
Announcement...
Starting in December, Highlands will hold brief (15 minute) smartboard presentations at 2:40 pm on Thursdays in Pod C. Anyone who attends will be given lessons at their level--Two sessions will run concurrently (beginner and intermediate). Folks outside of Highlands are welcome to join us.
--the second grade team at Highlands that was seen visiting a virtual field trip sight (Mayflower?) and chatting online with experts this past week. Doesn't that full projection screen come in handy for such activities?
--Dawn Hughes for demonstrating her board ideas as part of the Highlands Staff Development in November.
Announcement...
Starting in December, Highlands will hold brief (15 minute) smartboard presentations at 2:40 pm on Thursdays in Pod C. Anyone who attends will be given lessons at their level--Two sessions will run concurrently (beginner and intermediate). Folks outside of Highlands are welcome to join us.
Lesson Two
Beginners
Touch and Straighten. Your board is meant for touching and the sooner you jump in the faster you will acclimate.
1. At the southeast corner of your computer screen you will find a little smartboard icon that looks to me like a white square with a red paintbrush. Click on that. You will get a drop down (actually drop-up) menu of board options. Choose the orient option and then touch the red dots on the smartboard as they appear. This is how you make sure the board is communicating properly with your projector and computer. If ever it seems your board is not working just right--try following these directions and orienting the screen again.
2. Go to the southeast corner with the smartboard icon again, and this time choose "notebook."
---When the notebook opens, try writing on the whitespace with your finger or one of the markers. If you use the marker on the toolbar--you will be able to play with all kinds of settings.
---The tool bar across the top will give you writing options like color, width, and even shapes. Play with them. Practice to see how much pressure to use and how easily you can write.
---Notice that if you open the notebook software up to full screen it is just like writing on any whiteboard;
---except that you can erase in an instant by pressing the big green plus sign for a new screen (try it)
---Try making three different screens with the green plus sign. If you hit the page sorter tab (tabs on the side) you can then jump between the three screens you just made (try it out).
---Finally, when you close/exit this software it will ask if you want to save your work. When you have boardwork that you want to save (math problems for tomorrow? DOL? Review of notes?) Simply select yes and save as you would anything else you make on your computer.
Advanced
Advanced users, you will begin to notice a pattern in this blog. Once I know that you are comfortable with the basics of the board, I would rather teach you to fish than give you a fish. Last time I taught you where to find excellent board tutorials at Smarttech.com. Click on the training menu. Hopefully, whenever you want to learn any aspect of your board more thoroughly, you will refer to these tutorials. They will teach you all the intricacies of using your board and its software.
Lesson two is to encourage you to consider the uses of the board as it interacts with various useful webpages. I am going to give you three different websites. One website is filled with math applets on all sorts of math--fun, fun, fun to use with your board and these applets cover many, many aspects of math instruction. Just click anywhere on the table and you will discover a host of applets for that grade level and math topic. You do not need to download the software--just enjoy online.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
The next webpage is filled with applets for wonderful writing and language arts tools. Use these tools as fun ways to start a writing unit, as places to do class writing, or as independent and small group activities for your students.
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/index.asp
The last is a site where you can try out virtual field trips. Virtual field trips can be organized by a site, like a science museum, or created by teachers around a specific topic. Enjoy finding that perfect site.
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/
Cheers,
Bonita
Touch and Straighten. Your board is meant for touching and the sooner you jump in the faster you will acclimate.
1. At the southeast corner of your computer screen you will find a little smartboard icon that looks to me like a white square with a red paintbrush. Click on that. You will get a drop down (actually drop-up) menu of board options. Choose the orient option and then touch the red dots on the smartboard as they appear. This is how you make sure the board is communicating properly with your projector and computer. If ever it seems your board is not working just right--try following these directions and orienting the screen again.
2. Go to the southeast corner with the smartboard icon again, and this time choose "notebook."
---When the notebook opens, try writing on the whitespace with your finger or one of the markers. If you use the marker on the toolbar--you will be able to play with all kinds of settings.
---The tool bar across the top will give you writing options like color, width, and even shapes. Play with them. Practice to see how much pressure to use and how easily you can write.
---Notice that if you open the notebook software up to full screen it is just like writing on any whiteboard;
---except that you can erase in an instant by pressing the big green plus sign for a new screen (try it)
---Try making three different screens with the green plus sign. If you hit the page sorter tab (tabs on the side) you can then jump between the three screens you just made (try it out).
---Finally, when you close/exit this software it will ask if you want to save your work. When you have boardwork that you want to save (math problems for tomorrow? DOL? Review of notes?) Simply select yes and save as you would anything else you make on your computer.
Advanced
Advanced users, you will begin to notice a pattern in this blog. Once I know that you are comfortable with the basics of the board, I would rather teach you to fish than give you a fish. Last time I taught you where to find excellent board tutorials at Smarttech.com. Click on the training menu. Hopefully, whenever you want to learn any aspect of your board more thoroughly, you will refer to these tutorials. They will teach you all the intricacies of using your board and its software.
Lesson two is to encourage you to consider the uses of the board as it interacts with various useful webpages. I am going to give you three different websites. One website is filled with math applets on all sorts of math--fun, fun, fun to use with your board and these applets cover many, many aspects of math instruction. Just click anywhere on the table and you will discover a host of applets for that grade level and math topic. You do not need to download the software--just enjoy online.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
The next webpage is filled with applets for wonderful writing and language arts tools. Use these tools as fun ways to start a writing unit, as places to do class writing, or as independent and small group activities for your students.
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/index.asp
The last is a site where you can try out virtual field trips. Virtual field trips can be organized by a site, like a science museum, or created by teachers around a specific topic. Enjoy finding that perfect site.
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/
Cheers,
Bonita
Monday, November 12, 2007
Lesson One
BEGINNER LESSON ONE: Do you know about your projector's buttons? These buttons can be vitally important if you are in the middle of a lesson and your projector is suddenly not projecting or you are in the middle of a lesson and you want to briefly turn off the screen without shutting down the projector.
Some buttons to try:
pic mute--notice when you hit this button on your remote control your projector lamp goes off? When you hit it again, it comes back on. Great feature to use when you need the lamp off at the beginning of a lesson or even in the middle. If you finish a lesson and plan to use the board again in less than 2 hours, pic mute is a better option for projector life than turning the whole machine off.
RGB or source button- projectors and remotes can be different, but you should look for a button that talks of "source" or "RGB". This button helps you to tell the projector where to look for the signal. If your projector is on and it says no input--this may be the problem.
ADVANCED LESSON ONE--Where to find out everything I can teach you and more...
I am happy to set up this blog so that we have an interactive medium for learning about our boards, but the truth is harsh. There is a much better source of training out there than me! At Smarttech.com you can use the tutorials to learn everything you could hope to learn about your board in bite sized increments. Go to this link and try out the 2 minute tutorial called "Powerpoint Software" to see what I mean:
Link
The tutorial shows you all the basics of using a powerpoint with the smartboard, including how to save any marks you might make while presenting a slide show. At the same webpage you will also find anther training source on powerpoints:
Using Microsoft PowerPoint Software on a SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard (PDF 671 KB) at
Link
This PDF document will show you everything in the quick tutorial, plus what to do if you make a mark on your slide show and forget to save it--but want it back!
That is the end of lesson one. Hope there was a little something there for everybody.
:)Bonita
Some buttons to try:
pic mute--notice when you hit this button on your remote control your projector lamp goes off? When you hit it again, it comes back on. Great feature to use when you need the lamp off at the beginning of a lesson or even in the middle. If you finish a lesson and plan to use the board again in less than 2 hours, pic mute is a better option for projector life than turning the whole machine off.
RGB or source button- projectors and remotes can be different, but you should look for a button that talks of "source" or "RGB". This button helps you to tell the projector where to look for the signal. If your projector is on and it says no input--this may be the problem.
ADVANCED LESSON ONE--Where to find out everything I can teach you and more...
I am happy to set up this blog so that we have an interactive medium for learning about our boards, but the truth is harsh. There is a much better source of training out there than me! At Smarttech.com you can use the tutorials to learn everything you could hope to learn about your board in bite sized increments. Go to this link and try out the 2 minute tutorial called "Powerpoint Software" to see what I mean:
Link
The tutorial shows you all the basics of using a powerpoint with the smartboard, including how to save any marks you might make while presenting a slide show. At the same webpage you will also find anther training source on powerpoints:
Using Microsoft PowerPoint Software on a SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard (PDF 671 KB) at
Link
This PDF document will show you everything in the quick tutorial, plus what to do if you make a mark on your slide show and forget to save it--but want it back!
That is the end of lesson one. Hope there was a little something there for everybody.
:)Bonita
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