Getting SMARTER with SMART Boards: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

Wireless Mouse

Are you interested in having two students select or move items on the SMART Board at the same time?

My latest purchase is a wireless rechargeable pen-style mouse with rubberized grip. It costs $55 from Ergo Items.com. Works well for selecting and moving objects on the SMART Board.

Not recommended for writing.

I am still testing it out for features such duration of charge and transmission distance.

http://www.ergo-items.com/cursor/penmouse/wirelesspen_vm201.htm

The VM-2001 pen style mouse comes with a rubberized grip, Plug-and_play USB interface, 10-meter transmission distance, non-disruptive USB charging technology, and Blue-Light optics.

SMART Notebook Math 2009

Be one of the first to get in on SMART’s Notebook Math 2009 beta.

Use the following link www.smarttech.com/notebookmathbeta to sign up!

With SMART Notebook Math, teachers and students will now be able to create, solve or graph mathematical concepts directly in SMART Notebook.

SMART Notebook Math features include the following:

Equation creation and editing
Equation handwriting recognition
Graphing tool
Real-time linked relationships between tables, equations and graphs
More shapes additional to those that come with SMART Notebook 10 software
Shape manipulation and feedback
Advanced-measurement tools
Ability to launch and operate Texas Instruments™ emulators from within SMART Notebook

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Interactive Whiteboard Resources - Science 6-12

This website provides numerous resources that can be downloaded and used in secondary science classes. All of the resources are designed to use on an interactive whiteboard. Specific topics include genetic crossing, writing scientific explanations, mitosis and meiosis, the periodic table, rock cycles and many others.

www.think-bank.com/iwb/science.html

Monday, February 23, 2009

Games for the Brain

Another great interactive site for the SMART Board -

Games for the Brain

http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Mensa for Kids

Mensa for Kids is geared toward children ages 6-10. The site provides numerous interactive educational games and puzzles that are frequently updated and can be used effectively on a Smart Board.

This is great way to encourage higher level thinking skills.

The site is colorful and easy to navigate.

Mensa for Kids
http://www.mensaforkids.org/

Magic Magnifying Glass - Neat Trick

Use this trick to reveal answers or hidden messages in Smart Notebook.

Draw a circle with a shape tool.

Fill the circle with the color white.

Draw a rectangle and fill it with a color, this will be the handle.

Rotate and connect the rectangle to the white circle so it looks like a magnifying glass.

Select both objects and group them together. Order the magnifying glass and send it to the back.

To use the magnifying glass type your answers or hidden messages in the same color as the background color of the page. They will be invisible until you drag the magnifying glass over that area of the page. You will then see the hidden text.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Magnetic Poetry

Magnetic Poetry online -
http://www.magneticpoetry.com/kidspoetry/playonline.cfm

Perfect to use with your SMART BOARD!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Inserting You Tube Videos into Smart Notebook

Did you ever find a YouTube video and wish you could insert it into your SMART Notebook?

All you have to do is copy the URL of the YouTube video page and paste it into Tube Leecher - http://www.tubeleecher.com/.

Click DOWNLOAD and then save the file. If you are not offered the option of SAVING AS a flv (flash video file),save the file and then rename the file with the .flv extension.

The YouTube video is then converted to a flash video file and can be inserted into a SMART Notebook page using the INSERT button on the menu bar.

How easy is that?

Here is a sample YouTube video that has been inserted as a flash file.

Have you heard of SLIDE SHARE?

Slide Share is a neat way to share and find presentations.

Embedded below are two thought provoking presentations on IWB's (Interactive White Boards) and Interaction. Use the controls under the window to navigate.