Smart Board Lesson Ideas???

[Ms.Champion]

So, our school just got three new Smartboards through a seed grant. Each teacher is having to develop a lesson to use with the smartboard, teach it and then reflect on if it is worth purchasing. (The company will offer the school a discount if they decide to purchase them). Anyhoo---our lessons are to be completed by March 31 and I haven't even thought about it. lol

I like the idea of the smartboard, but it just seems it is going to be more of a hassle than anything. Having to sign up for it, cart the thing from the bottom level hall to the top level hall, check out a projector, create the smartboard lesson, etc.....

So, I am trying to take a short cut. I have looked but haven't yet found any lessons I like. Does anybody have a link to smartboard lesson activities?? I have never used a smartboard, but must do it to earn my credit for this workshop. I don't see myself using the smartboard that often, b/c like I said...it seems to me to be too much of a hassle to worry about. Thanks for you help!! :-D

[MsCoffeeLover]

http://smarttech.com/

That is the website for the SMART board. They have a lot of fantastic ideas, but I use the SMART board regularly, so if there is a lesson you wish to do, let me know, and I will see what I can do to help.

Good luck with that. The SMART board rocks.

[jsfowler]

The smart board requires a little extra work on your part but the student interaction and final results are worth it. I teach middle school science so I did a lot of virtual labs with the smart board. I also used it for powerpoints, concept maps, diagrams, etc.

Even though I liked the smart board, what I have now is much better because it cuts out the set-up on your part. We have a smart classroom - plasma TV, airliner, document cam, etc. If your school has the money, this is the route to go. It is in everyones classroom and it is all connected. All I have to do is turn the teacher's cart on and I am ready to go for the day. I taught my students how to use the airliner and even they think it is cooler than the smart board. There are grants out there for this...you just have to look.

Anyway, good luck with your smart board. It could really be a great addition to your classroom. As far as upstairs-downstairs, ask your administrators if one could be placed permanently upstairs. That way you wouldn't have to transport it all over the building. Also, when we only had smart boards we ordered one for each team, a total of six. They were kept in the science teachers supply closets and anyone in the team could use them at any time.

[Ms.Champion]

Thanks for the ideas. I teach science and language arts. We are two man teams, so we would never have the money to buy a smartboard for each team. We do however have one for the 6th grade, one for the 7th grade, one for the 8th grade and then one that stays in the library for elective classes. Each smartboard is in one of the teacher's rooms. The 6th grade is divided with 5 classes (2 teams--one team of 3 teachers in 6th) on the bottom and 6 classes (3 teams) on the top floor. The 6th grade smartboard is down stairs and get used by one of the teachers. We have to check it out w/ him and if he is using it, then, oh well, it is our problem not his b/c it is housed in his room and he gets first choice to when he uses it. It just irks me a bit. I wished each room had one. Anyway---I am going to just check out the one in the library, since I would have to check out a LCD projector as well anyway.

Question: You can connect to the internet using the smartboard, correct?? We are studying recycling now and thought if I could find some type of interactive website, I could use that in my smartboard lesson. Anyway---thanks again for the ideas. =D