SMARTBoard Lesson Plans and resources from Promethean Planet
03 Jun 2010
If you have a SMARTBoard, you might be wondering why Promethean Planet is the world’s largest interactive whiteboard community, and what it has to offer you. To help you find your way, we’ve compiled a quick guide to Promethean and Planet, especially for users of SMART Boards.
Get more from your SMART Board with the Planet
Just follow these five steps, and you'll be on your way to getting more from your SMART Board!
- Step 1: Choose from 21,000+ teaching resources
- Step 2: Download ActivInspire software for free and use on your SMART Board today
- Step 3: Take free ActivInspire Intro courses
- Step 4: Watch ActivTips - short, how-to videos for ActivInspire
- Step 5: Add more interactivity to your SMART Board with tools from Promethean
Step 1: Choose from 21,000+ teaching resources
Give your SMART Board and your classroom an instant boost when you choose from more than 21,000 downloadable lessons, as well as resource packs containing images, backgrounds and templates for creating your own! With our Flipchart Preview feature, you can see every page of the lesson before you download!
Follow the links below to find out what's waiting for you on Planet!
Step 2: Download ActivInspire Software for free and use on your SMART Board today!
The only things you'll need to use and modify lessons from Planet are your free Planet registration and a copy of our free ActivInspire Personal Edition software. ActivInspire can be used with your SMART Board, and is available immediately to all Planet members.
By downloading today, you'll have instant access to all of the valuable resources on Planet. Plus, you'll be able to collaborate with and share lessons with other teachers in your school or district who are using ActivInspire.
In addition, you'll be able to easily incorporate assessment into your lessons if you decide to later begin using ActivExpression or ActiVote learner response systems with your SMART Board!
- Register for Promethean Planet
- Download free Personal Edition of ActivInspire
Step 3: Take Free ActivInspire Intro Courses
In order to help you get up and running more quickly with ActivInspire, our ActivLearning professional development program offers free courses for learning the basic functions of the software. Choose between learning more about the ActivStudio or ActivPrimary interface.
You'll even find a course specifically for migrating from SMART Notebook to ActivInspire! More advanced courses are also available, and you can earn graduate or continuing education credits after completing any ActivLearning course.
Step 4: Watch ActivTips - Short How-To Videos for ActivInspire
In addition to the ActivLearning courses mentioned in Step 3, another great way to familiarize yourself with specific features of ActivInspire is to watch our free ActivTips videos. These short how-to snippets cover a variety of topics and are incredibly informative for anyone wanting to learn more about the software. ActivTips are also available as podcasts, so you can download and watch them at your convenience!
A few titles you might want to check out include:
- Import from SMART: Learn how to convert your SMART Notebook files to ActivInspire so that you don't lose the lessons you've already created!
- Toolbar Options: Freely move your toolbar in ActivInspire, docking it to the left, right, top or bottom of the screen.
- PDF Pieces: Capture certain elements of your PDF files with the Camera tool and make them easier to read by placing them in your flipcharts.
- The Hover Advantage: Being able to hover over certain elements in flipchart pages can be a tremendous advantage during lessons.
- ActivTips: Short how-to videos for ActivInspire
Step 5: Add more interactivity to your SMART Board!
In addition to the ActivExpression and ActiVote Learner Response Systems mentioned earlier in the article, you have a variety of ways to add interactivity to your SMART Board with these Promethean products.
ActivSlate 50: The Promethean ActivSlate 50 is a wireless, fully integrated, mini-board; small enough to sit on your desk or to move around the classroom. It operates using the ActivPen, with the same precision as on the ActivBoard, but you can use it with your SMART Board!
ActiView 322: The ActiView 322 is a Visual Presenter that allows the whole class share any object or document. From capturing 3D objects for interactive show and tell, to class work for review sessions, art, text, flora, fauna, anything—ActiView puts it on view, on your SMART Board for all to see.
ActivRemote: Teachers can use ActivRemote from anywhere in the classroom to direct ActiVote and ActivExpression voting, advance presentation slides, open applications or web browsers, start movies or command any other software or web browser function that can be made with keyboard shortcuts.