SMART Notebook Gallery Feature # 2

The Gallery Essentials collection offers materials in Geography.

 Flags for 234 different countries.  Use these to build an activity or lesson allowing the students to move the flags to the appropriate country or description of a country in Notebook.

4 types of landscapes and animals associated with those landscapes.  At the elementary level, students can learn about different types of landscapes and locate animals that live in those habitats

Over 300 maps of counties, continents, and states; as well as images of states and countries that can easily be used for student placement.  Set up a map and have your students drag the states or countries to their appropriate spots

Gallery Essentials Geography also contains common map icons and Capital stars

 For more information on the Notebook Galleries and how to access them visit this post

New From Google. Merry Christmas!

SMART Notebook Gallery Feature #1

As some of you may already be aware, the Notebook from SMART offers an extensive collection of images and interactive gadgets that you can add to any activity or presentation in your Notebook.  They are very helpful when creating an activity that has a little more involvement and meaning for your students. You can access these galleries right in your Notebook file.

Locate the four tabs on the side-menu of your Notebook.  Some side-menus are on the left, some maybe on the right.

The Gallery Tab wears the "picture frame" icon on the tab.  In this collection you will find a hefty resource of interactive imagery that you can freely drag into your work for use.

Today, I am featuring a couple of useful elements of these galleries.  In the Gallery Essentials folder there are some useful organizational tools for planning with the students.  Locate the Administration and Evaluation folder (as indicated below).  In this folder, locate the Planning folder.  Here are some Daily and Weekly Agendas that can be used as planners for events, homework, deadlines, or general agendas.  You will also find calendars for each month, as well as an blank monthly calendar.  There are some flow and comparison charts, as well as a Todo list.

Also, check out the clocks and timers in the Enhanced Resources folder.

National Geographic Education (Beta)

New to National Geographic, is National Geographic Education.  It is only in its testing grounds, however does provide some rather useful resources from video to map making.

I love the map makers.  You can select from a wide variety of maps.  The map makers have a drawing/marker collections that allows you to draw and annotate on top of the map for better featuring and direction for you students and them print them off.  You can also add your own labels.  Not only can you print the maps, but you receive the specific web link to your personalized annotated map that students can link to from your Moodle course.

There is also a small-scale GIS interactive map, allowing a small amount of layer in which students can add.  Great for students 3rd grade to 6th grade.

As we all know the National Geographic is well known for its quality resources and products.  Check it out.  Click on the NG logo below.

Keyboard Shortcut #3 - Quick Look

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This is a great one for efficiency and time-saving; and it's easy.  You ever scroll through a list of files or images in a folder, looking for the right one, but you hate having to open it and wait for the program to launch in order to view it - especially with those pesky Microsoft documents.  Well, instead of double-clicking on the file, hit your space bar when the file is highlighted and in micro-seconds you will see a Quick View window showing you the entire contents of the document or the image.

This may not seem like a big deal now, but start practicing this key stroke more often and you will realize how much time you save.  This also works as a quick-access "presentation mode" for any PowerPoint, Keynote, or PDF if it is no-frills and you do not use transitions, animations, or video.  Don't bother waiting for the program to open, hit Space Bar.

There is a Preview feature in your Finder windows that can also serve this purpose, however it does not offer the size or the detail you may need for some documents.  Locate your top menu bar in the window for Columns or Cover Flow

Cover Flow

Columns