Insert Your Own Flash Content in Smart Notebook Software

The smart notebook software is a powerful and feature rich addition to any classroom. The gallery is loaded with images, backgrounds, interactive content and flash-based lesson activities. Did you know that you can add most flash activities from the web directly into a smart notebook page? Here is how it works.

First, using Google Chrome, conduct a search for the topic you are looking to explore with students and add that to the search bar. Add the phrase  "filetype:swf" at the end of the search. This will limit the search to flash based activities that fit that search criteria.

Example: Search for   fractions filetype:swf

The search will return a list of sites with flash based activities for working with fractions. Select one of the sites and open it.

After you have the site  open click on the wrench on the top right side of the Chrome toolbar. In that menu select "save page as". Save the file as a  "Flash Movie".

Open up smart notebook and navigate to a page in the file that you want to insert the flash activity. On the top toolbar click on INSERT - FLASH FILE... and browse to the flash file you saved.

Viola... You now have an interactive flash file embedded into your smart notebook presentation!

Enjoy!

Smart Notebook 11 release planned for this Spring with new features

Smart has issued information regarding the release of Notebook 11. The new version will offer some new features that will be useful for students. Most notable is the ability to embed web content into a lesson page. This may include youtube videos or any website. You will be able to annotate over the embedded content.

They will also be adding a development tool which will allow for individuals to create downloadable widgets that can be used in the software. This is similar to running apps on a mobile device. These widgets will add functionality to the software.

 

An overview of the new features are listed below:

Embedded web browser
Insert web browsers directly onto a SMART Notebook software page and use tools to draw and write over web pages and drag and drop images into your lesson. You can also open the live page directly from within the lesson.

Activity builder
Create activities where objects react to actions by accepting or rejecting other objects or by triggering animations or sound. The activity builder is great for arranging, sorting and labeling and for creating VENN diagrams.

Enhanced contextual toolbar
Choose an object and the toolbar changes, so all the tools you need are right in front of you.

Crayon
Create authentic crayon drawings on a SMART Board interactive whiteboard.

Customized creative pen
Build your own creative pen using any image you choose.

Audio recording
Record sounds directly into your SMART Notebook lesson.

Shape image fill
Adjust the size of an image to fit into a shape.

Reset page
Use this feature to return your page to its last saved state.

New gestures
Shake objects to group and ungroup them.

Updated tables
Scale, move and interact with tables more easily.

New text engine
Provides improved text formatting and consistency within SMART Notebook.

Fade ink
Fade any regular ink.

Interactive Sites to Teach Grammar

I came across these two websites recently while working on an interactive curriculum portal for our Language Arts Department. Both sites contain interactive activities and games for teaching Grammar. 

Learn English was developed by the British Council. It is designed for ESL students, but the activities can be used in any elementary language arts classroom. There are a number of interactive activities that would present very well on a Smartboard. They can also be used in centers on classroom computers or on the Smartboard as well.

Road to Grammar Jr and Road to Grammar both contain a number of online quizzes, activities and games that can be used in an elementary classroom.

There are a number of websites on the web with interactive grammar games and activities.  I found these two to be a couple of the better ones I reviewed.  If there are others that you enjoy using with students please share them in the comments section.
Enjoy

Smartboad - New Resource for Lessons

In my workshops I have referenced a number of places to find pre-made smart notebook lesson templates.  The site I most often reference is www.smarttech.com. This is the home page for the company SMART. There you can access notebook lessons organized by grade, subject, and/or CCCS.

Smart has introduced a new site that I have found to be an even better resource. It is called the Smart Exchange. On the Smart Exchange you can search for notebook lessons by subject, grade and topic. You can also upload lessons that you made to share with others.

What I like about the Smart Exchange is that you can preview the lessons directly in the browser without having to download anything. You can also view a rating scale to see how other teachers have rated the lesson.

This is a great place to get started with using the Smart Notebook Software. If you search for a lesson on a topic you will working with students on, you can download it and then make changes to it. This is the best way to get acquainted with the notebook software.

I also publish a lot of resources including lesson templates, interactive sites and tutorials on my wiki http://edunology.wikispaces.com. Once you are on the wiki please click on Interactive Whiteboards on the navigation menu.

Enjoy!