SmartBoard Basics

What is a Smart Board? A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard (electronic dry erase board) that is connected to a computer and a data projector. It is touch sensitive and uses colored “markers” that aren’t messy and don’t leave any stains behind.

Setting up a SmartBoard Setup is quite easy. There is just one USB cable that gets plugged into the SmartBoard and the back of your computer. Your projector also must be plugged into your computer with one cable. Then the software needs to be installed, but this happens quite automatically once you insert the CD into your drive.

Setting up a SmartBoard (cont.) Once the SmartBoard is connected and software has been installed, you need to “orient” the board. This will synch the Board, your computer and your touch. Start by pushing the “standby/on” button on your projector and starting your computer. A blue screen will appear on the Board as your projector loads your computer’s image. If your computer’s image doesn’t load right away, push the “Input” button until it does. Once your Windows screen appears, you should see a Smart icon on your desktop. Click on the icon and select “Orient.” Click here to orient. Push this button.

Setting up a SmartBoard If you do not see a SmartBoard icon, then you can bring up the “Orient” screen by pushing down and holding the keyboard and mouse buttons simultaneously that are on the right side or front of the SmartBoard next to the pen trays. A bunch of circles will appear; the first one on the upper left will have a diamond with a “+” sign in it. With one of your fingers, tap the center of the plus sign. A low ding will sound, and the diamond and sign will move down in the column. Tap the center of the plus sign again. Continue doing this until all targets have been tapped. The orient page will disappear upon the last tap, and you will be returned to an image of your desktop. The SmartBoard is now ready for interaction.

SmartBoard Orient Screen Click the center of the plus signs

How do I launch an application and write on the SmartBoard? Once the orientation is complete your finger becomes your mouse as you interact with the SmartBoard. To launch an application, just double press on an icon with your finger. To write using the no mess markers, just pick one up and press firmly against the Board. I tell my students to “attack” the Board with the pen. If you don’t press hard enough your writing will not be smooth and will contain gaps. To erase what you have written or drawn you have two options: Put the pen back on the tray and pick up the eraser. Move the eraser over the writing you want to remove. Like magic it will disappear! The eraser is good for deleting only part of what you have written. Put the pen back on the tray and just tap your finger on the board; all of your writing will disappear. This method is good for clearing the whole board of what you have written.

Saving your drawings and/or notes To save your notes you can use the “capture” tool located on the floating SmartBoard toolbar. It looks like the camera. Start by removing a pen from the tray to make the toolbar appear. Click on the “camera.” Now touch the board with your finger, and without releasing any pressure, drag a box around the area you want to capture. Then remove your finger from the board. Your notes will automatically be sent to Notebook software, and you can save them under any name you want. To later access your notes, just click on the “Notebook” icon in the lower right of your desktop.

Additional SmartBoard Training Resources The SmartTech.com’s website has some great training/tutorial tools for SmartBoards. Here are some links and what they offer: Free Online Live Training Sessions: Each session is about 30-45 minutes and is conducted by an expert SmartBoard user. Follow this link for a weekly schedule: http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/online/index.asp Here is a four module learning path with reading materials, online tutorials and practice activities that you can complete at your own pace: http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/learningpath/moduleone.asp Here is the link to Smart Technologies’ two minute tutorials: http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/tutorials.asp#

What can I do with my SmartBoard? Anything that you would do on your computer can be done on your SmartBoard for your whole class to see. Some ideas include: Working out math problems Editing sentences Watching movies/videos Taking virtual tours Conducting Demonstration lessons Playing educational games Drawing pictures Brainstorming activities (webs, KWHL) And much more

Lessons, Ideas & Interactive Websites for SmartBoards Most sites organize their resources by subject and grade level. Smart Technologies School District of Waukesha Fun Brain Frog Guts (Interactive dissection site; by subscription only) Sesame Street Quia Virtual Prison Walkthrough Get Smarter Rockingham County Public Schools Jefferson County Schools Magnetic Poetry Dr. Sue LeBeau List of Websites for Primary Grades

Resources Bardwell School Learning Center Teacher. (2007). Retrieved March 20, 2007, from http://www.d131.kane.k12.il.us/Bardwell/smartboard.html Failes, S. (n.d.). Using SMARTBoards in RCPS Retrieved March 18, 2007, from http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/howto/smartboard/smartboard.htm Smart Technologies. (2007). Retrieved March 18, 2007, from http://smarttech.com/