How to Use SMART Board to Create Interactive Learning Games

SMART Boards are interactive white boards that consist of a free-standing or wall-mounted white board, a projector, and a computer with SMART software. SMART (digital) pens allow a teacher to "draw" on the computer screen and insert text into documents. The SMART software comes with the SMART Notebook, a virtual notebook that you can use for brainstorming, classroom discussions and interactive learning.

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Choose an appropriate lesson plan for an interactive display. Interactive lessons give students the opportunity to fully participate in a lesson (as opposed to a lecture, which has students sitting in their seats, quietly following along). An example of a interactive-style lesson plan is one that has students split into groups to figure out answers. For example, you might pose the question to a fifth-grade math class: How do you think the pyramids were built?

2. Step 2

   Open your SMART Notebook by clicking on the SMART book icon. The notebook will open to a blank workbook page. Write the question on the notebook for the class, and invite the students to come up with possible solutions.

3. Step 3

   Once you have finished brainstorming for an activity, hold a class discussion and ask for student input on why the ideas might be valid or not. Use different colors to put a check mark next to ideas that most students think are valid.

4. Step 4

   Ask students to expand and clarify on ideas. For the above sample question, students might suggest "slaves" or "geometry." Ask for more detail, such as how the slaves built the pyramid, or who else might have been involved.

5. Step 5

   Split the class into groups (depending on how many valid ideas came out of the brainstorming activity). There should be a minimum of four students in each group. Have each group design a one-page "how to" on how their assigned activity may have led to a solution for the problem. For example, if one group is assigned the topic of "slaves," they should state (in a few short sentences or pictures), how slaves built the pyramid. Step 1 might be assisting with the layout of the pyramid base. A middle step might be to haul the steep rocks up ramps using hundreds of men.

6. Step 6

   Have the students do a short presentation using the SMART camera and their presentation sheet. The SMART camera is a projection device: When the sheet is placed under the camera, the students' work will be visible on the screen.