Smartboards

[jane smith]

I am looking for effective software to justify purchasing a smartboard for my primary school classroom PK-3. If you have suggestions, I appreciate you responding asap as the application is due next week and I don't want to miss out on the "wish list" opportunity!

[Martha]

Even if you're only using the Notebook software there are just so many wonderful things you can do that justify the board.

If you would like to look at some lessons created by other music teachers you can check out this wiki:

http://mustech.pbwiki.com/

lots of good stuff our colleagues have agreed to share!

[Bruce Krieg]

I have a board in my music room as well as every other classroom at our school. SMART Notebook is the software that comes with the board and it is enough to justify the purchase. Besides this, since the board is simply connected as an external mouse anything viewed on your computer screen can be manipulated using the board, in an interactive sense. visit http://tinyurl.com/5mhxcp (the SMARTtech Education website for thousands of pre-created lesson activities for SMART Notebook! Let me know if you need my help! I've had a few years experience with them and I work with an expert.

[Brenda Muench]

I also think you should be able to justify having board with out having to buy any extra software. We use the SmartBoard in my room to work on websites as a class. There are so many great sites about the instruments and composers that are interactive and FREE! We also use the Smartboard when the kids need to edit sound files in Audacity. We use Notebook to make fun review games as a class and then trade our game with another class. There are so many great things a music teacher can do with this technology.

[jane smith]

Thank you everyone! The wish list is in...now all I have to do is wish-AND research all the great information here so that I can hit the ground running if my wish comes true!

[Bruce Krieg]

Awesome! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

[Wendy Strauss]

If you do purchase one, spend the extra hundred dollars for a backlit SmartBoard, so you don't have to deal with a projector, and lining up the smartboard all the time.

[jane smith]

Thank you Wendy-what an awesome suggestion! I worked with a smartboard/projector/laptap yesterday at my daughter's school, and I think I understand what you are saying, but can you give me more details? Although the techies in my district would like to see what I can do with the smartboard, I am not in-the-know as far as the cutting edge technology that is available. I can't really articulate how I would use it, because I'm too busy TEACHING MUSIC:-)...and it's sort of like the cart before the horse-I am SO I really appreciate the heads up that this is available, and I am thankful I will have the information to be able to purchase the best possible product so that I can do the best possible job in using it!