Transforming Learning through

Exploration and Collaboration

STEM Education Building opportunities for tomorrow’s innovators

Get Professional Content

ACCrEdiTEd by SMArT

Impact of STEM and Academic

Core Standards IntegrationBy Byron Ernest

March 2012

magazine

Sneak Peek – SMART Notebook 11

AcTiviTy BuildeR

2 | March 2012

FROM THe ediTOR

STEM EducationEdITorIAl Shari-Lynn Sare, Managing Editor Chrissie Chambers, Editor

CoNTrIBUTorS Shari-Lynn Sare Stacy Kindopp Heather Ellwood-Wright byron Ernest

ArT Vanessa Liang, designer and Cover Art

it’s well documented that the United States needs

a strong science and technology workforce to

maintain global leadership and competitiveness. …

improving STEM education of our diverse citizenry will

strengthen the science and engineering workforce

and boost the U.S. economy.

– Freeman Hrabowski III, President, University of Maryland, baltimore County

Hrabowski’s statement goes without saying, and with President

Obama’s nationwide initiatives aimed at science, technology,

engineering and math (STEM) education, today’s students are

better equipped to embrace math and science and become

leaders in these areas.

According to the U.S. department of Commerce, STEM

occupations are the jobs of the future and they’re projected to

grow by 17 percent through 2018.

SMArT is also contributing to the success of our future innovators

and to global competitiveness by providing products and services

that encourage and inspire students to study and succeed in

STEM fields. This month’s issue provides ideas, best practices,

resources and content to help your students reach their goals and

achieve success in STEM.

in the feature article, you’ll discover how three STEM educators

are using social constructivism, formative assessment and inquiry-

based learning to teach their students. be sure to enter our

four contests on pages 6 and 7 for your chance to win SMArT

products that help engage students in STEM subjects. Finally, in

the product spotlight, we highlight our Software and Content

Accreditation Program and explore four STEM-focused software

titles by well-known education publishers.

i hope you enjoy this issue and discover a few valuable

nuggets to bring back to your classroom!

Shari-Lynn Sare, MANAGiNG EdiTOr

© 2012 SMArT Technologies. All rights reserved. EdCompass, SMArT Notebook, SMArT response, SMArT board, SMArT Exchange, SMArT Table, SMArT document Camera, SMArT Slate, SMArT Sync, smarttech, the SMArT logo, all product logos and all SMArT taglines are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMArT Technologies in the U.S. and/or other countries. All third-party product and company names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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March 2012 | 3

cONTeNTS

04 NoTES FroM THE FIEldWith byron Ernestimpact of STEM and Academic Core Standards integration

06 CoNTEST CorNEr Four Chances to Win SMArT Products

08 ClASSrooM CoNTENTOn the SMArT Exchange Website

11 ClASSrooM CoNTENT SMArT Notebook Tips

Customizing Presets for Shapes, Pens and Fonts

12 ClASSrooM CoNTENTSneak Peek – SMArT Notebook 11 SoftwareActivity builder

20 NEWSWhat’s Happening This MonthFind out about SMArT’s latest opportunities and happenings

22 SMArT SHoWCASE SCHool ProFIlEMaking the World a better Place

24 ProdUCT SPoTlIgHTGet Professional Content Accredited by SMArT

14 FEATUrE ArTIClETransforming Learning through Exploration and Collaboration

4 | March 2012

NOTeS FROM THe Field

Impact of StEm and acadEmIc corE StandardS IntEgratIon The academic achievement of U.S. students is becoming increasingly

important if the United States is to compete successfully in the world

economy. And as the department head of an indiana agriculture science

program at Lebanon Community School Corporation, i am continually

investigating the problem of low student performance and achievement in

STEM subjects and the impact of the real-world application of career and

technical education courses on student achievement in these core subjects.

The education landscape is competitive, and my school is striving to

successfully meet challenges head-on. Educators must examine the areas

where STEM can be taught in a relevant context. To that end, it is important

that academics be fully integrated both vertically and horizontally into all

course work. We must reinforce the academic cores, including STEM.

We’ve adopted that practice at Lebanon, and significant improvements

in student achievement and performance have occurred since our focus

turned to teacher effectiveness and the use of SMART products to

enhance the learning process.

Following are just a few of the improvements we’ve seen:

•A144percentincreaseinthenumberofeleventh-andtwelfth-grade

students taking AP courses

•A9percentincreaseinthenumberofstudentsreceivinganAPtest

score of 3, 4 or 5

•A38-pointincreaseinmathandcriticalreadingscoresontheSAT

•A17percentincreaseinthenumberofstudentsreceivinganIndiana

Core 40 diploma

•Agraduationratethathasincreased9percentto95.3percent–the

state average is 84.1 percent

•Anattendanceratethathasincreasedby2.3percentto98.1percent

•MyadvancedlifesciencecoursesthispastschoolyearhavePurdue

University’s largest share of dual-credit students, with 136 students

receiving at least 3 credits and some receiving 10 credits in one year

Byron Ernest

department Head for

Agriculture and FFA,

Lebanon Community

School Corporation,

Lebanon, indiana

We have compiled

compelling data

that point to

improvements

in student

achievement

because of the

effective use of

SMArT products

to enhance

instruction.

March 2012 | 5

vOice BOx

vote now read the next issue of EDCompass magazine, where we

give you tips and suggestions for acquiring funding for

classroom technology.

Up Next

Your Vote

We asked what your biggest challenge is when

instructing young learners.

You responded:

have your say....

What do you feel is the best way to promote STEM learning in your classroom?

Having the

prep time

required

to create

lessons

All of the above

Other

Finding funding to

purchase tools that will

help early learners

Creating

collaborative

learning

environments

to nourish

creativity and

teamwork

differentiating instruction to

support a variety of learning

styles or stages of development

40%8%8%

17%

5%

22%

6 | March 2012

cONTeST cORNeR

it might as well be Christmas in March! SMArT is giving away products and we want you to win.

Would you like to win one of 10 CoreFocus™ dVds, or maybe a classroom license for 3D Tools for SMART Notebook™ collaborative learning software? Or how about a SMART Response™ XE interactive response system? And wait, there’s more – you can even win a SMART Board® 885ix interactive whiteboard system. it just doesn’t get better than that!

Keep reading to find out how you can enter for a chance to win.

Tell Us Which Training Topics Best Suit Your Needs Season two of the SMART training and professional development video series is around the corner and we

want you to tell us what topics you’d like to learn about.

by entering our draw and telling us what you want to

see in season two, you could win a SMArT response XE

system with 24 remotes (or clickers) for your school.

To enter, visit the SMArT Classroom youTube™ Channel

and watch some of our previously posted videos. Then

read the terms and conditions and complete the entry form by telling us your ideas for the upcoming season.

The contest closes March 31, 2012. Enter now for your

chance to win!

productS for Your School FOuR cHANceS TO WiN

March 2012 | 7

Win a Year’s Worth of Interactive lessons for K–1 Classrooms We’re giving away 10 dVds loaded with

CoreFocus learning activities, co-developed

by Hatch® Early Learning and SMArT, valued

atUS$1,995.CoreFocusisanewinteractive

whiteboard content solution designed to

help young students build math and literacy

skills. There are more than 2,500 interactive

K–1 lessons correlated to the new Common

Core State Standards. CoreFocus is also

appropriate for special education teachers,

where the cognitive age of students is

between four and eight years old.

To be eligible to win one of 10 CoreFocus

dVds, read the terms and conditions and complete the entry form before

April 30, 2012.

Want to Enhance STEM Instruction? Enter our STEM contest for a chance to

win a SMART Board 885ix interactive whiteboard system, which will help you

engage students in learning and inspire

them to explore the world around them.

The contest runs through March 31, 2012. read

the terms and conditions and enter to win!

download the Search Widget for SMArT Exchange™ to Win

SMART Exchange has a new search widget that, once uploaded to your desired location,

enables you and your site’s visitors to quickly

and easily search for ready-made learning

resources on the SMArT Exchange website.

After you upload the search widget to

your education blog or school or district’s

website, send us the link to where it lives.

you then become eligible to enter our draw

for one of 10 licenses for 3D Tools for SMART Notebook software.

And, you can double or triple your chances

of winning by spreading the word. Share

the widget on your social media sites, such

as Facebook, Twitter™, Pinterest, Tumblr, StumbleUpon or any other social media

site, for additional entries.

First, download the instructions for posting the

widget to your site. Once it is uploaded, simply

complete the entry form and agree to the

draw terms and conditions to be eligible.

Youhaveuntil11:59p.m.(MT)onFriday,

March 30, 2012, to upload the widget to

your sites, spread the word within your

social media circles and enter the draw.

cONTeST cORNeR

8 | March 2012

clASSROOM cONTeNT

SMART Notebook lessonsFind a growing database of SMART Notebook lessons on the SMART Exchange website for all grades and

subjects – many of which are standards correlated – created by classroom teachers or by SMArT’s team of

curriculum resource developers.

because this issue highlights STEM, we suggest you check out the more than 6,500 math and science lessons on

SMArT Exchange. you can also search for Common Core State Standards-correlated lessons for math and English

language arts by clicking the Standards-Correlated Lessons button in the top navigation bar on the home page of

SMArT Exchange to begin your search.

Here are three math and science lessons you can try with your students.

Math Mania

Students in grades 1–3 will enjoy

this weekly math practice that

helps them review their math skills

with basic math facts. The lesson

includes an activity page that

students can complete each week.

Volume

Mathstudentsingrades7–9are

introduced to the concept of and

formula for volume in this lesson

from Skoool.

Earthquakes Sciencestudentsingrades9–12

can learn about earthquakes,

their causes and how earthquake

magnitudes are measured.

oN ThE

SMArT Exchange

March2012|9

clASSROOM cONTeNT

SMART Response question setsSMArT Exchange also offers a growing number of SMART Response question sets, most of which are

correlated to state and provincial curriculum standards. The website contains hundreds of activities for all

subjects and grade levels.

Try one of the following SMArT response question sets in your next science or math class.

Capacity

Second- and third-grade math

students can learn how much

different containers can hold. They’ll

begin with a sorting lesson to learn

about capacity and then test their

knowledge with a question set.

Matter Review

Science students in grades 4–6 can

test their knowledge of matter and

review the physical and chemical

changes of solids, liquids and gases,

along with parts of an atom.

Relativity

Sciencestudentsingrades9–12

can learn about Einstein’s theory

of relativity.

WEBSITE

SMArT Exchange

10 | March 2012

clASSROOM cONTeNT

developed specifically for early education classrooms, check out the growing number of activity packs for

the SMART Table interactive learning center on the SMART Exchange website. you can search by

topic, subject or grade level to access hundreds of activities for your SMArT Table. you can use SMArT Table

activities with small groups to complement whole-class and individual learning experiences. Most activities

correspond to a SMArT Notebook lesson and SMArT response question set.

Following are a few SMArT Table activities you can try in your next class.

SMART Table® activities

Soil First-grade science students

can identify ways that land

plants depend on soil and

complete activities that help

them recognize the various

components and types of soil.

Fill It with Sand and Water Pre-K students can play with

sand and water, and drag each

substance into different sized

containers to learn how much each

one can fill.

Compare the Size of Rocks Pre-K students can look at

different rocks and compare

their sizes using the terms

biggest, bigger than, smallest and smaller than.

March 2012 | 11

clASSROOM cONTeNT

With more than six million activations of SMArT Notebook collaborative learning software, it’s no surprise that one of your favorite sections of the magazine is SMArT Notebook Tips. This month, you can learn how to customize the preset options for shapes, fonts and pens.

if you like to use red letters in your favorite font, you prefer your circles be shaded in green or you like to use a blue

pen with thicker lines, you can! instead of changing the characteristics of the tool each time, you can customize it

once and save the properties. That way, it will always appear the way you want it in your toolbar – ready to use.

Follow the same steps to customize shapes or pens. Simply select the tool from the top toolbar and repeat steps 2–4.

SMArT Notebook

THE STEPS

in the toolbar at the top of your SMArT

Notebook software page, click the

symbol ‘A ‘ – the Text tool. A floating

toolbar will appear showing all the

preset fonts available.

Within the Properties tab, you have the

option of changing

the text font style,

size, color, texture

and transparency. Just

click though the tabs,

Text Style, Line Style

and Fill Effects to

select your options.

Click the Properties tab

along the side of your

page and select one of

the text boxes in the

toolbar.

Once you’ve made all your

selections, click Save Tool Properties and you’ll see your new

font and color in the toolbar.

1 2

43

12 | March 2012

clASSROOM cONTeNT

The Activity builder enables you to add interactivity to any object, making your lessons easier to

build and even more dynamic. you can create drag-and-drop activities, such as sorting, ordering,

labeling and hot spots, that provide instant feedback – and you don’t need any programming skills.

A whole range of new activity types that use object animations and sound will be available within

SMART Notebook 11 software.

read next month’s product spotlight, where we’ll devote four pages to SMArT Notebook 11.

activity Builder

Last month, we introduced you to shape image fill and the customizable creative pen. in this issue, we’d like to tell you about the Activity builder, another exciting new tool for SMArT Notebook 11, available this month.

March 2012 | 13

clASSROOM cONTeNT

SMArT NOTEbOOK 11 SOFTWArE

Along the side of your SMArT Notebook file, you’ll see a new tab with a puzzle piece icon.

Select that tab to access Activity builder, and then click the icon to begin your customization.

Click the object on your page for which you want

to create an activity and select the Edit button in

the Activity builder tab. your object will appear

with diagonal lines running through it.

Select the Objects tab. drag objects from

your page to the appropriate boxes,

depending on whether you want objects on

the page to be accepted or rejected when

dragged into your activity object.

Click the Settings tab to set how you want the objects to

behave once they are accepted or rejected. you can add

sounds to your objects by checking the appropriate boxes.

For objects that are accepted, you can request that they

Fade Out, Fly Out, Snap to Center or Spin. For objects that are

rejected, you can set them to bounce back or do nothing.

Once all objects have been added to the right boxes and

your settings applied, click Done. your activity is now ready.

it’s this easy:

12

3

4

5

14 | March 2012

FeATuRe ARTicle

Transforming learning through exploration and collaborationby Stacy Kindopp

March 2012 | 15

FeATuRe ARTicle

Exponential growth in engagement With a background in drama and theater, Marcy Stein brings a touch of magic to each of the math, English and drama classes she teaches at Bialik high School in Montreal, Quebec. Stein is a SMART Exemplary Educator and was recently honored with the 2010–2011 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

With a SMART Board interactive whiteboard in her classroom, Stein loves to use SMART Notebook collaborative learning software to create lessons that capture students’ attention.

“The chalk-and-talk approach doesn’t work with today’s students. i engage my students by getting them to work on an inquiry approach, where they explore and discover concepts on their own,” explains Stein.

The SMArT board interactive whiteboard has given Stein a new connection with her students. She cites Marc Prensky’s Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, which tells how today’s students are “born into

the digital world.” Stein says that it’s necessary for teachers to adapt to the digital world that their students are versed in.

Stein uses SMART Notebook Math Tools to engage her math students. “Working with graphing and geometry is amazing on the interactive whiteboard,” says Stein. “The interactivity helps them explore and understand the concepts. Students can move lines around a Cartesian plane or create arcs with the compass in different colors.”

The SMArT Notebook lessons that Stein creates help her more effectively teach math concepts that were previously difficult to explain to students.

“For example, it’s difficult to teach students how to calculate the area of a circle – you can’t break it up into equal squares. With the shape division feature in SMArT Notebook Math Tools, we can pull apart the circle and rearrange the sectors to create a parallelogram and then the students are able to calculate the area. being able to manipulate objects like this is fantastic,” explains Stein.

16 | March 2012

For example, Stein has created a SMArT Notebook lesson on integers that features a cauldron with a fire underneath it. She uses the interactive thermometer from the Gallery in SMArT Notebook and three-dimensional cubes – blue for cold and red for hot. When it’s time to deliver the lesson, Stein shows up to class wearing a cape and witch’s hat.

“i’ll do whatever it takes to get my kids to learn. Teaching in character is just part of my drama and theater background,” laughs Stein.

And her teaching strategies are getting results. Students in Stein’s enriched mathematics classes participate every year in the Canadian National

FeATuRe ARTicle

“With SMArT board interactive whiteboards in our classrooms, there has been an exponential increase in student engagement,” she adds.

To gauge student understanding, she also creates quizzes within her SMArT Notebook lessons.

“i will often use web-based games or interactive quizzes to find out if students are grasping a concept. Students feel like it’s a game and are very excited about learning,” says Stein.

Stein strives to create a classroom environment that keeps students curious and motivated. “i’ll even come into class dressed up in a costume if it relates to a concept.”

With SMART Board

interactive whiteboards in our classrooms, there has been an exponential

increase in student

engagement.

– Marcy SteinTeacher, bialik High School

Montreal, Quebec

March 2012 | 17

FeATuRe ARTicle

Mathematics League and from 2001 to 2008 and in 2011, the team placed first in Quebec.

Integration instead of isolation At the Will Rogers Learning Community in Santa Monica, California, educators provide an interdisciplinary approach to learning that integrates STEM across the curriculum. Carl Witt, a SMArT Exemplary Educator and SMART Certified Lesson Developer, is the STEM coordinator at the elementary school.

Five years ago, the school implemented a Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGi) approach for teaching math, in which there is an emphasis on problem solving

instead of memorization and repetition of number facts.

“With this approach, students gained a better knowledge of the logic behind formulas,” says Witt.

because of the success of the CGi approach in math, the school began using the same approach for all STEM subjects. “SMArT board interactive whiteboards have completely changed the way that we implement this teaching strategy for all subjects. it’s enabled us to become more collaborative,” explains Witt.

The school has a SMArT board interactive whiteboard in every classroom, including their special education classrooms and computer

lab. They also have SMART Response interactive response systems and document cameras.

“This combination of technology helps us respond to student questions on the fly. if a student asks why it’s H

20 instead of 0H2, we can look it up on the internet immediately,” says Witt.

in keeping with this interdisciplinary approach, Witt works with teachers to develop engineering design projects that enable students to apply what they’ve learned in science and math.

“We have two planning days in which we go through every science lesson and see how we can incorporate mathematics,

18 | March 2012

FeATuRe ARTicle

engineering, technology, language arts and art,” says Witt.

This year, the first-grade students studied the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in an interactive SMArT Notebook lesson. After the story, they were given an engineering design project in which they had to build a chair that was capable of holding three pounds. For materials, they were given eight pieces of newspaper, one piece of cardboard and an unlimited amount of masking tape.

To help them come up with ideas, their teacher used SMArT Notebook to show videos and pictures of chairs and collaboratively brainstorm concepts.

“Our vision is to build on this approach – we want to teach literacy through seamless integration of STEM components. We try to correlate activities to the themes they are already studying. We’re moving away from the idea of studying everything in isolation,” says Witt.

With this inquiry-based approach to STEM subjects, students explore concepts, experiment and share what they learn. Then, teachers begin to introduce them to the terms and definitions that apply to their observations.

To ensure students are understanding concepts, teachers

use SMArT response question sets. “When i use SMArT response questions at the beginning of class, i can gauge where we’re at and find out if i need to go back and review concepts before moving on,” explains Witt.

A new paradigm for STEM education Formative assessments are also an essential part of the innovative approach of the Progressive Science Initiative (PSi) and Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMi), led by dr. robert Goodman, director of the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL).

Goodman is driving the transformation and improvement of teaching and learning in science and math. He began developing thePSIapproachin1999whileteaching at bergen County Technical School in Teterboro, New Jersey. With the PSi approach, the sequence in which students study the sciences is reversed.

“The way we teach science in the United States has been to teach biology and then chemistry and then physics, which doesn’t make coherent sense – one doesn’t lead to the other,” says Goodman.

“So, students are constantly memorizing in the traditional class, rather than understanding. in our classes, students learn physics in a very natural, orderly way, ending with quantum physics, which is the natural beginning of chemistry, and then they do chemistry step by step until they get to organic chemistry and properties of water, which is the natural beginning of biology,” he explains.

With this approach, the rate of Teterboro students taking and passing the AP Physics b exam was 16 times higher than that in the rest of the state – and it continues to grow. The success of the program gained Goodman much recognition, including New Jersey State Teacher of the year for 2006.

We try to correlate activities to the

themes they are already studying.

We’re moving away from the idea of

studying everything in isolation.– Carl Witt

STEM Coordinator, Will rogers Learning Community Santa Monica, California

March2012|19

FeATuRe ARTicle

Goodman later joined the NJCTL and began focusing on developing PSi and PMi curriculum resources for K–12 classrooms. The content is developed in SMArT Notebook and incorporates SMArT response for assessments. The curriculum resources are offered as units, and teachers use formative assessments to gauge student understanding and pace the instruction accordingly.

“Formative assessments are the best predictor of student learning. in our approach, students sit at round tables and answer questions with their SMArT response remotes,” says Goodman.

“if students are split in their responses, we’ll tell them to find someone with a different answer and convince them that they’re right. They’re arguing, the classroom is noisy and they love it. it’s very socially dynamic,” says Goodman. “When you teach something to someone, it helps you know it better.”

Goodman believes that this approach helps students develop the essential skills. “Collaborating together and solving complex problems are the skills needed

for the future, so how we teach is just as important as what we teach,” explains Goodman.

And because students are constantly participating in assessments, no student falls behind. “We assess student understanding so frequently

that it’s hard to leave the class without knowing the concepts,” says Goodman.

Students also have fun opportunities to collaborate and apply their learning. For instance, once students have gained an understanding of how to equate the time, position and acceleration of an object, they will go outside for a class activity and launch stomp rockets. The teacher will give them

Collaborating together and solving complex problems are the skills needed for the future, so how

we teach is just as important as what we teach.

– dr. robert goodmandirector, New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning

Trenton, New Jersey

only a stopwatch and ask them to find out how fast it leaves the ground and how high it goes.

“We’ve had students working in the rocket lab, doing their computations, and when the bell rang at 3:00 p.m., they wouldn’t leave. They stayed with their friends working

on the problem until 4:00 p.m.,” says Goodman.

Schools in New Jersey that are implementing the PSi and PMi curriculums are seeing significant increases in student interest in science and math and meaningful performance gains, with a substantial increase in the percentage of students taking AP science exams.

NJCTL offers the curriculum content, including presentations, homework, labs and assessments, for free. Students, parents and teachers from around the world can begin using all

the resources, except assessments, immediately – educators must complete a free registration to gain access to the assessments.

“We’re freeing teachers up to teach,” says Goodman. “Some of our teachers call this ‘reduce your stress’ teaching. We’re giving them more opportunity to focus on their students instead of being constant curriculum developers.”

20 | March 2012

NeWS

SMART Solutions in the STEM Classroom

Teachers working in STEM classrooms often tell us

that engagement is their biggest challenge – how

can they inspire students to look beyond the formulas

and numbers to see the patterns and the logic of

math and sciences? Many teachers have found that

using visual and interactive tools like those found in

SMART Notebook Math Tools have helped increase

engagement in their classrooms. And with the SMART Response XE interactive response system, it’s easy

for students to demonstrate their understanding of

complex concepts because they can include formulas

and equations in their answers.

Learn more about SMArT products in STEM education.

Apply for Your School to Be a SMART Showcase School is your school using SMART products to make

learning environments more dynamic and

interactive? if so, your school could become a

SMART Showcase School!

Once granted the designation, your school is

recognized for its innovative use of SMArT products

and serves as a host site for other educators who

want to learn more about the many benefits of

implementing SMArT products.

Visit our SMART Showcase School web page

for more information about how to apply. The

application deadline is March 31, 2012.

What’s Happening

This Month

March 2012 | 21

NeWS

Attend a SMART Webinar on Supporting Accessibility

Creating inclusive learning environments with SMArT solutions

March 21, 2012 – 3:00 p.m. (ET)

discover how you can use SMART education solutions to make learning accessible and meet the

needs of every student. On March 21, you can learn

from fellow educators who will share best practices

for how interactive products can help students

overcome barriers and foster inclusive learning

environments. Register now.

did you miss last month’s webinar about STEM? you can watch it on demand. in the webinar,

Discover New Ways to Bring Math and Science to Life in the Classroom, you can hear educators discuss

how they’ve successfully used SMArT products

to further engage students in STEM subjects. The

speakers explore holistic and integrated approaches

to the implementation of SMArT products in

classrooms and suggest new ways to deliver visual

and interactive math and science lessons that spark

a lasting interest in STEM.

Watch the STEM webinar on demand.

Become a SMART Exemplary Educator (SEE)

Would you like to join the global network

of SMART Exemplary Educators who are

transforming teaching and learning with the

help of SMArT? The program brings together

teachers, technology coordinators and

administrators who lead the way in using SMArT

products to engage students and improve

learning outcomes.

Through March 31, 2012, you’re invited to

complete a SEE program application that

highlights your commitment to developing

effective education practices and sharing them

with other educators.

Learn more about the program pathways and

how you can apply to join this group of skilled

and dedicated educators.

22 | March 2012

SMART SHOWcASe ScHOOl PROFile

Sometimes a tiny crystal of an idea can snowball into

an avalanche of change. That’s what happened when

10 teachers at Preston Middle School in Fort Collins,

Colorado, decided that the school should be a SMART Showcase School. So, with the advice of Tracey

Winey, the school’s media specialist and a SMArT

Exemplary Educator, each of these teachers posted a

lesson on the SMART Exchange website.

“From a staff aspect, that small step of putting our

lessons on the Exchange really pushed our teachers to

go to the next level. We say part of the 21st century

skill set is to share and collaborate, and through the

Exchange our staff collaborates worldwide. by doing

this, we are setting a great example for our students

– collaborating globally and making a real impact,”

explains Winey.

Susanne Martino, a seventh-grade math teacher at

the school, believes that sharing lessons on SMArT

Exchange is empowering for teachers. “i feel good

about sharing the work of other teachers. i know i

don’t have to recreate it, because i know they did their

best thinking and put it on the Exchange, just as i

have,” she says.

A clear focus

Sharing those initial lessons led to the entire school’s

staff exploring how technology products can best

be used to support STEM instruction in classrooms.

And it seems to be working. in addition to being

designated a SMArT Showcase Elite School, Preston

was selected as a 2011 Intel® Middle School of Distinction for science. With so many technology

companies headquartered in Fort Collins, becoming a

STEM school was a natural fit for this Poudre School

district school. Martino says it has led to an intentional

and all-encompassing focus on technology skills in all

content areas, but especially STEM.

“Preston students are engaged in activities and

investigations in the STEM areas that really allow

them to critically think and problem solve,” says

Martino. “Our teaching and learning is geared toward

preparing our students so they can understand their

place in the world and how it works. We do this by

using current technology that enhances both teacher

and student learning.”

The SMArT products at the school include 33 SMART Board interactive whiteboards – 3 of which are

SMART Board 885ix interactive whiteboard system with four-touch interactivity – 15 SMART Document Cameras™ with Mixed reality Tools, 10 SMART Slate™ wireless slates and 10 SMART Response interactive response systems. The sixth-grade 1:1 learning

Making the World a better Placeby Heather Ellwood-Wright

March 2012 | 23

SMART SHOWcASe ScHOOl PROFile

your school can become a SMArT Showcase School and be recognized for

using SMArT education solutions to create exceptional learning environments.

if selected, your school will receive exclusive membership benefits and

opportunities. it will have an opportunity to share its success story and serve

as a host site for other educators who want to find out about the benefits of

implementing SMArT products. Learn more.

“One of our mottos at Preston is ‘How will we

make the world a better place?’ And through our

use of SMArT [products], our kids are doing that

every day – and that’s exciting.”

Tracey Winey Media Specialist Preston Middle School Fort Collins, Colorado

environments also include SMART Sync™ classroom management software.

For Mary barela, a sixth-grade teacher, SMArT Sync

software helps her easily push content-rich websites

out to students in a controlled fashion. it also “raises

the personal accountability of each student” because

students know she is closely and continually monitoring

their work. For her math students, barela uses the

SMArT response system to differentiate instruction.

“With SMArT response, i can get immediate feedback

and determine which students are ready for enrichment,

which students are ready for an intervention and which

ones are on target. i am able to fully address the needs

of all my students,” barela explains.

Increased engagement Perhaps the most important aspect of the daily,

intentional and fully supported use of technology

products is the marked increase in student

engagement at Preston Middle School. According to

Winey, the overarching culture of the school is one of

deep questioning and exploration, usually centered

around authentic, real-world problems. For example, a

group of Preston students is involved in a project with

students in the Philippines and, together with industry

mentors and outside experts, are delving into the

problem of deforestation in that country. Such projects

and the resulting process mean both teachers and

students are more involved and enthusiastic.

“i am definitely more engaged in the learning,”

agrees Martino. “When i learn something new on

the technology front, i can’t wait to share it with my

students. And i find they all want to try it, so they are

more engaged. Subsequently, i’m more engaged and

we’re all learning because of it.”

A potential and welcome effect of this increased

engagement, says Winey, is decreased discipline referrals.

She says that although it’s tough to quantify the real

reason for the decrease, the Preston teachers believe it’s

because students are excited about learning – they come

to school with a learning mindset, ready to take on the

world, and the result is fewer discipline problems.

Winey says SMArT products are helping Preston

teachers and students make a difference. “We take

pride in the fact that we can differentiate instruction

for our students so well and we can challenge them

with real-world problems. One of our mottos at Preston

is ‘How will we make the world a better place?’ And

through our use of SMArT [products], our kids are

doing that every day – and that’s exciting.”

24 | March 2012

PROducT SPOTliGHT

Get Professional, interactive Content Accredited by SMArT SMArT created the Software and Content Accreditation Program (SCAP) to encourage third-party publishers to develop software and content that integrate with SMArT products. SCAP ensures that the high-quality content from these publishers will be compatible with the SMArT products in your classroom.

Through the program, reputable publishers such as houghton Mifflin harcourt, Pearson and Scholastic – to name just a few – create high-quality software and content that work with

SMArT products. And with an ever-growing number of titles available, you’ll discover a wide range of ready-to-use content.

Software or content accredited by SMArT carries our accreditation logo. before we accredit a title, we ensure that it integrates with SMArT products, is easy to use and will enable you to enhance learning in your classroom. With three tiers of accreditation – Standard, Premium and Elite – it’s easy for you to see the content’s level of integration with SMArT products

and the extent to which the publisher has incorporated the use of multiple SMArT products into its solution.

SMArT-accredited software and content can be found on the SMART Exchange website. When you search for content on SMArT Exchange, you’ll find a second tab that shows you which of our accredited titles also match your search. by using these accredited titles, you can spend less time preparing lessons and more time interacting with your students.

March 2012 | 25

PROducT SPOTliGHT

Understanding SCAP accreditation Following is a quick and simple guide to SCAP accreditation:

Standard – Software or content with Standard accreditation indicates that

SMArT has approved it for use with one or more SMArT products. The product will enhance the SMArT platform and is easy to use.

Premium – Software or content with Premium accreditation provides a

deeper level of integration by taking advantage of key SMArT product functionality while continuing to maintain the ease of use that is integral to all SMArT products.

Elite – Software and content with Elite accreditation has unique content or

feature integration designed specifically for a SMArT product. it easily integrates with SMArT products and may

leverage the use of multiple SMArT products to create a more interactive user experience.

When you choose third-party software and content accredited by SMArT, you can be confident that the content is compatible with our products.

Coming soon – an online content store it’s about to get even easier to use SMArT-accredited titles in your classroom. We will soon be launching an online store on the SMArT Exchange website to provide a repository of SMArT-accredited content and applications available for purchase. The store will include

•SMARTNotebooklessons

•Galleryimages,themes,videos and Flash® objects for use on the SMArT board interactive whiteboard

•SMARTResponse question sets

•Contentandapplicationsforthe SMArT Table interactive learning center

The store on SMArT Exchange will be available in the United States and Canada in the spring of 2012, with planned expansion to other countries.

Millions of

teachers each year

search the

SMArT Exchange

website for

high-quality lessons,

digital content and

resources.

The expansion

of SMArT

Exchange to

include a store

that will host

publisher-created

content and free

resources will make

it even easier for

teachers to find

relevant content that

will help

them create and

deliver engaging,

interactive lessons.

– linda Thomas

Vice President, Products SMArT

26 | March 2012

PROducT SPOTliGHT

bring math and literature to life with interactive lessons from Saddleback

Everything from polygons to Pride and Prejudice

becomes more fun to learn when teachers add

interactive elements to lessons – and that’s what

Saddleback Educational Publishing™ helps do with

its series of interactive whiteboard lessons.

The lessons are designed to grab the attention of

struggling learners in grades 6–12 while providing

teachers with digital content that’s easy to customize.

Saddleback’s Interactive Whiteboard Timeless Classics offers activities about classic novels, and its

Interactive Whiteboard Math provides activities for

pre-algebra, geometry, algebra and algebra 2.

give struggling learners the tools to achieve

Establishedin1982,Saddleback Educational Publishing has long offered thousands of high-

interest, easy-to-read materials, including books, audio

books, teacher resources and educational software,

to help struggling learners. And last year, Saddleback

decided to expand its selection by entering the

interactive whiteboard content market.

As SMART-accredited titles, these software

applications are all compatible with the SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Learn more about these

applications by visiting the Saddleback Educational Publishing page on SMArT Exchange.

EXPLoRE SMART-ACCREDITED TITLES FRoM ThESE EDUCATIoNAL PUBLIShERS

inspire students with stimulating, interactive content from Sherston

developing your students’ problem-solving skills?

Flobot can help. Searching for an interactive activity

for your students with special needs? Try ReacTickles 2. Looking to help your young students improve their

counting skills? Look no further than Monkeys, Ducks and Frogs.

Created by Sherston, the UK’s leading provider of

educational software for primary schools, content is

colorful and dynamic and helps your students build

important skills in areas such as literacy, math, science

and technology.

Hands-on learning

Sherston Publishing Group has a multitude of

interactive, stimulating content designed for students

in pre-K to eighth grade. As SMART-accredited titles, these software applications, including The Crystal Rain Forest and Strumbie Island, are compatible

with the SMART Board interactive whiteboard.

reacTickles 2 is compatible with the SMART Table interactive learning center.

When combined with the touch capabilities of SMArT board interactive whiteboards and SMArT Table, teaching and learning with these resources become hands-on and interactive. For more information about available titles, visit the Sherston Publishing Group page on SMArT Exchange.

March 2012 | 27

PROducT SPOTliGHT

discover ready-made, inspiring content from Classroom Complete Press When an innovative third-party software publisher decides to develop content in the SMART Notebook collaborative learning software platform, it’s no surprise that the results are amazing!

That’s exactly what happened when CCP Interactive, a division of Classroom Complete Press, decided to start creating digital content specifically for SMART Board interactive whiteboards.

CCP interactive combines the interactive capabilities of SMArT Notebook with curriculum-based content to make learning language arts, science and environmental studies an interactive and engaging experience.

Comprehensive lessons with built-in assessments Covering a variety of topics, including simple machines, global warming and literary devices, each lesson plan features 80 screen pages of

instructional core curriculum content, interactive

learning applications, reading passages and engaging

question sets that integrate with the SMArT

response PE and LE interactive response systems.

With this ready-made, professionally created content

for pre-K through eighth grade, teachers can instantly

measure understanding while inspiring their students.

Explore all of the available SMArT-accredited titles

from this publisher by visiting the Classroom Complete Press page on SMArT Exchange.

Help students learn physics in playful, creative ways with Algodoo®

Students around the world are experimenting

with physics in fun, educational ways thanks to

the Algodoo application by Algoryx Simulation.

Algodoo is unique physics simulation software

that engages students in science by enabling them

to easily create interactive scenes and physical

experiments that are playful, creative and visual.

With Algodoo, students can explore physics, build

inventions, design games and experiment with

science. Algodoo is compatible with the SMART Board 800 series interactive whiteboard,

expanding the creative possibilities for two

students working together using the touch gesture

capabilities of the interactive whiteboard.

Entertaining and educational Algodoo lessons are easy to use, enabling students

to experiment with topics such as forces, velocities

and momentum and to create unique scenes.

Students are motivated to explore and play with

physics, helping them gain knowledge in one of the

most effective ways – learning by doing!

Algoryx Simulation has already won two

prestigious awards for innovation and future

potential for its innovative products. To learn

more about this SMArT-accredited title, visit the

Algodoo website.

With SMArT products, teachers can open up a world of wonder and excitement in their classrooms. Students’ imaginations will soar as they experience STEM lessons through collaboration, exploration and hands-on learning.

discover how you can inspire your students today and spark a lasting interest in STEM subjects.

Visit smarttech.com/stem.

Make your math or science class a hub of exploration and discoverySMArT solutions in STEM