KWL charts and other graphic organizers for writing!

Don't want to buy Kidspiration or Inspiration for graphic organizers? Just use SMART Board Notebook! You can use a blank page as a KWL chart, making three columns, allowing students to share their thoughts and ideas. You can save this KWL chart as a document to open up and review or add information later! You can also use the Essentials for Educators to find premade charts and graphs that are awesome for collaborative writing and thinking! FORGET THE WHITEBOARD AND BUTCHER PAPER! Save the hassle of storing paper and do it digital!

Need some more digital graphic organizer templates? Check out the Graphic Organizer link under Writing Resources along the left of the page!

Digital Pen Pals!

I remember writing on that neat, decorative paper to students in other schools, states, and countries throughout my elementary education. I was thinking, how cool would it be to do DIGITAL PEN PALS! Not only would it be WAY easier (no postage, and can be done over e-mail!), but it could be more interactive and cooperative as a class. Here's my thinking:

The class would write a collaborative classroom letter to another classroom in their state, another state, or country (using a word processor like Microsoft Word). They can decorate the page with clip-art or pictures of the class doing things in their classroom. They then would e-mail it as an attachment to the recipient and await a reply. The class can then read the replies and figure out what they want to share next!

This could also be done on an individual basis, but the classroom letter makes it more collaborative and easier to implement on a SMART Board.

In addition, this will take some work on the teacher's part to find good recipients for letters (being sure they'll receive a reply!). Having a current e-mail address is key!

Weekly Reader/Time for Kids

Save paper and money by buying the online version of Weekly Reader and Time for Kids! You can have students read aloud with the articles projected onto the SMART Board, and can click on activities and complete them as a class right on the board!

Don't want to pay for online, interactive magazines? Check out Scholastic News! The link is under the Reading Resources along the left of the page!

Kidspiration/Inspiration

Have you ever thought of using Kidspiration/Inspiration on your SMART Board? Here are some ideas:

-Students can work as a class to compile ideas about a given topic (don't forget to click on the "rapid fire" button so you can type and create instant threads without having to stop every time!). Almost like a KWL chart, students can throw out everything they KNOW and WONDER about a topic, and then the class can work together to fill in information as notes with pictures and links to websites as the LEARN.

-Students can create study guides as a class or in small groups using the SMART Board and Kidspiration/Inspiration, for topics they are studying in class. These can be discussed whole group to study and review topics.

Have other ideas? Let me know, and I'll add the to this post!

First things first...

Don't forget to download the FREE SMART Board Notebook and Essentials for Educators from www.smarttech.com! The Essentials for Educators is AMAZING, with things such as graphics, diagrams, maps, writing templates, graphic organizers... You name it, it's there! Plus, from the educator section of smarttech.com, you can download free activities and lessons! Check it out! Links to these resources are along the left side of this blog, under Getting Started!

WELCOME!

Hello fellow teachers! I hope this blog will help you to integrate the SMART Board into your classrooms by providing you online resources to use with your students. Along the side of the page is a running list of websites that are clickable and will take you directly to the site. Have fun, explore and feel free to contact me with additional resources you find or with any questions you might have along the way!

Angie Bunday
ameinig@uoregon.edu