Quizlet

Quizlet is a great FREE learning tool that can be used by students individually or on your SMART board.  You develop word lists with definitions and students can print flash cards, play games or study.  You can search for word lists that already exist and edit them as well.  Games are timed so students can compete against one another.  Sound can also be added to a word if a student is unable to read it on their own.

Check it out!  http://quizlet.com/

Notebook 11 - Creative Pen

An interesting addition to Notebook 11 that you may overlook is the ability to customize your creative pen.  You continue to have the shapes that were offered before, but you now have the ability to use any image as a pen.  Click on the pen tool and then creative pen.  Next, choose the properties tab on your side bar.  One of the choices that you will have is "use a custom stamp image."  You may either browse for a picture that you have saved or "select object."  If you choose select object, you can hover over any picture or object that is already on the notebook page and what appears in the box will be your new stamp.  This tool will be great for early elementary and pre school teachers who celebrate holidays in their classroom.  You can have a shamrock for St. Patrick's Day, the head of Lincoln for his birthday etc.  There are many choices that your students will love.

Notebook 11 and Voki's

Notebook 11 is reshaping how we use our SMARTboards and I'm positive that everyone will love the changes.  One of the best things is the ability to embed web pages right onto a notebook page.  Voki's are an example of one of the many things you can embed.  Voki's are a type of widget - an avatar that you create that can have text to speech added to it or you can record your own voice.  Imagine a student listening to an avatar giving directions for the activity on your notebook page or a student recording themselves reading a story they wrote.  You will need Notebook 11 for this to work.

Step 1 - go to Voki.com and create an avatar (This is free!).  After you add the voice and click save - you will see the code
Step 2 - open another browser window and go to the SMART Exchange and download an avatar  http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?q=voki
Step 3 - Notebook 11 will open and your voki widget will be on a notebook page ready for you to paste your voki's code into the space for the code in notebook
Step 4 - Move your voki with code into "my content" so you can use it over and over again

Need additional help?  Here is a easy to follow video with the instructions - the video shows the voki going into my content by itself.  When I tried this, the voki went onto the notebook page and I had to move it into my content.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfVi_vQmiuQ

3rd Annual SMART User Conference

Bradfield's will be hosting its third annual SMART User Conference on Saturday, April 28, 2012 in Chillicothe, IL at IVC High School. The day of technology training will include four 50 minute sessions, breakfast, lunch and the chance to win some SMART giveaways. Each session is taught by a seasoned SMART Trainer. Seating is limited - be sure to register now!

http://smartbradfields.eventbrite.com/

Sumdog

http://www.sumdog.com/

Check out Sumdog...a website with free math games. Students can play against other students and several types of math games are available. The choices are given so you can easily play on the board with students touching the correct answer.

One game includes a race where the speed of your car is determined by the correct answers that you give. A lot of fun and definitely worthwhile review for your students.

Twurdy

Having trouble finding web sites that are at the appropriate reading level? Twurdy is a google powered search engine that color codes websites readability allowing you to correctly choose your resources.

http://www.twurdy.com/

Differentiating with SMART

Differentiating your instruction can be difficult at times. Besides needing baseline data to determine exactly where a student is, you need to create lessons that will meet everyone's needs. At the secondary level, you are often teaching the same content several times a day. You can use SMART Notebook software to help you differentiate your materials in many different ways.

For instance, you can group your different levels within one notebook. Each group can be used for a different class, but be contained in the same Notebook. This will keep things organized and easy to keep from year to year. One group might have audio support with tough words linked to your voice saying the word and others might have extension activities.

You can also color code your lessons. For instance, if you have a choice activity, the more challenging choices can have one color, the "average" another and the simpler choices yet another color. You can tell students which color they should choose. This will allow everything to be on one page and easily identified by you, but not by the students.

Story Starters

Most Writing teachers struggle with finding topics that will help students get started writing. One thing that you can do is use a picture to help evoke memories or a student's imagination. This story starter site shows a pic with a topic that could easily be moved into notebook by using your print capture to notebook function. This will allow you to model a few together and/or print them for student use.

http://www.meddybemps.com/9.700.html

Check it out!

3rd Annual SMART User Conference

Save the date on your calendar for the 3rd annual SMART User Conference! On April 28, 2012 we will be holding a conference at Parkside Junior High in Normal, IL. Trainers are currently being lined up and registration will be sent out in late January or early February. The cost this year will be $50 and include four training sessions, breakfast, lunch, flash drive and notebook w/pen. We will have over ten of our certified SMART trainers doing sessions all day to insure that every session you attend is high quality.

More details to come in the next month!

Sites for Art Teachers

A huge thanks to Julie Basting from Unit 5 Schools in Normal for sharing these sites that she uses in her classroom. Exploratory teachers often struggle with finding appropriate resources for their SMART board since SMART exchange is limited for their content. Interactive websites are often the key to using your board effectively and allowing your students an opportunity to learn while out of their seat. A few sites that Julie uses that work well with her students:

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/index.html

http://www.artsconnected.org

http://www.middleschool.net/art-lesson-plans.htm

http://www.art-rageous.net/Art-Plans.html (Virginia art teacher’s site)

http://www.picassohead.com/

http://www.handsoncrafts.org/000-a.htm
http://www.haringkids.com/lesson_plans/learn/drawing-with-wire

Julie also recommends Usborne books - they have links for their books on their website.

Vocabulary Game

I just read about this in a Teacher Love SMARTboards email and thought I should share. The vocabulary level for this game is pretty high. For instance one of the words that I had when I first played was writhe. You are asked to find an antonym or synonym of the word given and if you are correct you get to feed the robot. This would be a great game for the board to be done as a whole class to learn new vocabulary.

http://www.wordcentral.com/games/bigbot.html

Alpha bot is for spelling....which most of us are no longer teaching, but this would be a nice game when students can choose an activity.

http://www.wordcentral.com/games/alpha-bot.html

The last game that was shared is a word jumble. This would be another great game when students can choose an activity.

http://www.uclick.com/client/mwb/tmjkf/

SMART Notebook 10.8 - What's new?

If you haven't had a chance to update your Notebook software to 10.8 (which just came out), I highly suggest that you do. There are several new features that will definitely put a smile on your face. There are also many changes to SMART Response that will make creating and implementing assessments easier.

A few of the Notebook changes:

1. Image Optimization - large images can be automatically optimized to make your notebook files smaller and easier to share. An image can be optimized when you insert it or you can right click and select image optimization from the drop down menu.

2. Full Screen zoom - switch between entire page length and page width zoom while in full screen mode so your pages always fill the screen.

3. Gesture feedback - feedback is provided when you use the zoom gesture or swipe gesture so you always know what page you're on or what zoom level you've reached.

4. Pages are now numbered sequentially when you create groups rather than starting back at one with each new group.

5. From the file menu you can share your notebook on the exchange by selecting "Share on the SMART Exchange."

Response Changes:

1. Answer keys can be created - click response on the file menu for the choice

2. Set up tools shortcut is located on the Response desktop menu

3. When changing the remote type, you do not have to have classes stopped or notebooks closed. It also will let you know which type of question is supported by the type of remote that you are choosing.

4. When you are in transparent mode in Notebook, SMART Response icons are available on the floating toolbar making it easier to insert questions.

5. Icons have also been added to the full screen floating toolbar

6. No need for title pages to save data in Teacher Tools!!!

7. Easier duplication of classes and classes can be imported from one to another

8. Remotes now connect more easily - no need to scan for classes when joining previous classes

Be sure to update your software now so you can try out these changes - they are definitely worth it!

More Video Options

There are many options to embed videos onto a notebook page. You could type in the word save in the address of a youtube video after the www. or convert a file to an flv using an online converter. Another simple way to convert videos that are web based is by using firefoxes add on video helper. First make sure you have firefox installed as a browser on your computer - if not, go to google, search firefox and install. Next, install the add on video helper . This will an icon to the left of the address bar in firefox that has three circles.

When you find a video on firefox that you want to embed into notebook, click on the icon (the circles will be rotating if you can do this with the video) and save the video. When the save box comes up, be sure to add .flv to the end of the file name so your computer knows it is a .flv. Once the video is saved, you can drag and drop it onto a notebook page.

Another great thing to use is qik.com. Qik allows you to videotape something with your smart phone and it is instantly uploaded to the web. You can then use the firefox video helper to save it as an flv and embed it. At the Qik site, create an account and the download will be sent to your phone. Once the free application is loaded, you can open it and take a video. The video when done is on the qik site. Play the video and then save it as an flv. This is an easy, FREE, quick way to shoot movies in your classroom and share on your board.

Animated Banners

Creating an animated banner is very easy with wigflip. Simply write your text, choose the size of the banner and click "generate." You can then right click on the banner and save then drag and drop onto a notebook page. The one downside of this site is that you can't change what the banner looks like, but definitely a quick and easy way to create one for a notebook page.

Animated Text

I blogged about gif and adding animations awhile ago, but found out about these new sites that are easy to use to create text and wanted to share.

Often you may want your letters animated or a banner box that welcomes students or gives a direction. With a few free sites, it is simple and easy. The first one is textanim. Once you have the site open, fill in the text, font type and size and change your background color to NO. You can also change the direction. Choose a font color/style and then click on "generate." Your text will appear at the top under textanim. Right click on the text and choose "save image as." Once your image is saved it can be dragged and dropped onto a notebook page. A very easy way to create sentences and text boxes that are animated.

Automatic Sound when you enter a Page

In many trainings, I have been asked the question about whether or not you can have a sound byte automatically play when a page is entered and I have answered no. I have just learned that there is a way that you can make that happen. If the MP3 or other sound byte is converted to a SWF or flash sound file, you can embed it onto a page and when the page is opened the sound will begin playing.

The easiest way to do this is by using the website Format Factory. Once you have format factory installed, open the software and on the left hand side under video click on "all to swf."

Secondly, choose "add file" and be sure to change the browse search to "all files" since the default is video and you will be choosing a sound file. Choose the music or sound byte that you wish to play when the page is opened.

Next click on "OK" - this will take you back to the format box where you began. Highlight the sound you selected and click on "Start." The sound will then be converted to an swf. If you click on "output folder," you will see the folder where it was automatically saved as a shockwave flash.

You can now drag and drop the swf file onto a notebook page. The file will look very similar to a video flv and you will have a blue handle at the top to use to move it. Place the file behind another object so it can't be seen by using ordering. The sound will play when you enter the page and stop when the page is exited. A simple way to engage students.

You can also use audacity to record yourself giving directions for a page and convert that to a swf and embed onto the page that the directions are needed. A student can simply page forward and back to repeat the directions if they need them played again.

Good luck! Email me if you have any problems with making this work.

iPad vs Netbooks for 1:1

Many districts are looking at implementing a 1:1 program. EdReach published a piece in April that discusses the differences both financially and educationally that would be useful for anyone thinking of writing a grant for their classroom, school or district. The author plans on writing more - it will be interesting to see how things turn out for his district. His choice for financial and application use was netbooks.

iPad vs Netbook for 1:1

Using Google Docs

I took a google docs class today and learned a ton of info on how to use it in the classroom as well as using it to help share docs on websites. Most school district websites have space issues and they don't want you uploading a ton of files. This can be tricky if you are trying to share notebooks with families since most of them can be quite large. Google docs is a great way to plow through this problem.

First step - start a google account and log in
Second - Click on "more" and then "documents"
Third - click on the "upload" link and find the notebook that you want to upload. You do NOT want the notebook converted so make sure that both boxes are not clicked.
Fourth - Once the file is uploaded, hover over the file listed in your documents and click on "actions" - choose "share" and then share again.
Fifth - Documents are automatically set as private - change this to public. I chose to share with those having link so the file couldn't be found arbitrarily.
Sixth - Once you click on save, you are then given a URL for the document - copy
Seventh - On your website - highlight the text you want linked and choose to link a URL and paste the address for the doc

That's it! When people click on the link, google will open and they are able to download the file. You don't have to worry about any space being taken up on your school's server. Also, if you use word press you can't attach notebooks so you must do something like this. Lastly, you get 1G of space when you open an account on google. If this isn't enough it costs only $5 per YEAR to have 20G. This would be more than enough to upload every single notebook that you could possibly want to share.

Fakebook Page

Are you tired of assigning book reports? Looking for something new and different next Fall when students need to share information about a subject? Try this idea - have students create a fakebook page for the person, content or book.

The "Daring Librarian" has a great blog that is definitely worth following. One of the ideas that she shares is fakebook pages. She discusses how she used Comic Life to create fakebook page templates and then laminated them (time in the lab was tight) so students could use overhead pens to fill them in. This would be a great thing to model on your SMART board. What a great idea to link what students know to what they are learning about.

After checking out the fakebook page - I highly recommend you check out the other entries in her blog. She is a middle school librarian that has won awards for her blog. She has some great ideas.

Check out an online version of fakebook - scroll down and click on some of the samples. AMAZING

Comic Life Tutorial

Are you a Comic Life user? If not, consider trying the software. It is a great way to get hesitant writers interested in sharing. Students create graphic novels using photos and images. I used it in many ways including expository writing for science. For instance, the students explained the different states of matter using photos and captions for one assignment. For a Language Arts assignment, I had them create an autobiography using photos from home. The software is very easy to use and students enjoy creating files.

A nice tutorial on how to use the software is available - check it out.