Gallery Collections and Resource Packs

When creating your own flipcharts or notebooks, whether in Promethean, Smart, or Mimio, it's important to understand the role that gallery collections or resource packs can play. This post will apply to all three programs.

Why would I want to use the gallery? Well, it saves time and gives you items you can put into your charts that come directly in your software instead of searching everywhere else for them. Let's say I want to make a Halloween themed math notebook; I can download a Halloween gallery pack from the Smart Exchange and use the images in my lesson.

Or maybe I want to have base 10 blocks for students to use as counters in my flipchart to correspond with the blocks they use at their desk. Promethean has some in their resource browser. I can add them and put it on drag a copy. 

There are also games and activities that already exist, like these dice you can change the letters on for students to create words.

Or this shape sorter on Promethean:

When you open your software there is an option on the side for either the "Gallery" or "Resource Browser".

Promethean:

Mimio:

Start at Insert--> Gallery and the menu will appear.

Smart:

In the galleries are resources that are either preloaded when you received the software or that you can download and add to yourself. Gallery items include pictures, icons, question slides, backgrounds, charts, and even interactive items. As you browse through the items, all you need to do is double click or click and drag the item to put it on your page. 

It's a great idea to go into the gallery or software website and take a look at the resources available. You may find pre-made items that would be useful for future lessons or that will help you generate new ideas.