Promethean: Creating Containers

Containers are a neat function you can create in your flipcharts that allows you to place objects or words into a "container". I like to use this feature for sorting words or objects into the proper categories. If the word or object is placed correctly, it stays in the container. If it is placed incorrectly, it shoots back out of the container. I'm going to use a map activity I made for 1st grade as an example:

Before you set up the objects as containers, there are two important things to note.

• Your containers must be larger than the objects being contained inside them. For this map, I had to make sure my text boxes were smaller than the rectangles I created. This was easily done by clicking on the text and resizing the boxes. 

• Your objects need to be on top of the containers. You can make sure they are on top by going to the object browser and moving all the objects over the containers. In the picture below all the text has been moved on the list ahead of the shapes. They can all stay in the Middle Layer. 

1. Make sure you choose to View--->Browsers and go to the Property Browser.

2. To create the containers, click on the object that will act as the container. In the Property Browser find Container.

3. For Can Contain choose "specific object".
4. In Contain Object click on the icon with three dots next to where you type the text. Don't type any text in that box. You MUST click the icon. Then, this box will appear:

5. Choose the object you would like to contain and click OK. You are done making the container.

6. Now you need to go to the object that will be contained. Click on that object and in the Property Browser click on Container.

7. You will only change one thing here. Go to the last option, Return if not Contained, and choose True. This means that if the object is placed in the wrong container, it will return it back to its original location. This step is important because if you don't choose True, then the object will stay wherever you place it, even if it is the wrong container.

Repeat these steps for each container. Once you have done this with all of your containers and objects to be contained, lock the containers so they don't accidentally get moved during use.

Now you can have students try their hand and putting the right answers in the correct locations. They'll know they got it wrong if the object won't stay in the container. This is great as a pre- unit or lesson activity, post- unit or lesson review, or as an independent activity during centers. A great way to assess student knowledge while getting them up to interact with the board.

SMART: Standards Correlated Lessons

Did you know there is an easy way to search for lessons that go with specific standards? When you go to the SMART Exchange website, click on the tab on the top navigation bar labeled "Standards Correlated Lessons". Using the drop down menus, input your state, standards, and subject. Then hit "View"

The standards will appear and so will lessons to go with each.

Totally simple way to get lessons that you know are right on the money, instead of searching through pages and pages of notebooks.

New ActivInspire Features in Version 1.6

Promethean released Version 1.6 of their software this past October. They've updated it and come up with a few new features. To make sure you have the most recent version, you can go to Promethean Planet and download the latest version. Just click Download ActivInspire and follow the directions on the screen.

Technically, the new features include:

• An Equations tool, which can also be edited
• Integration with Promethean's ActiView document camera
• Asian vertical text
• A page extender option
• A right-click menu that allows you to toggle between the pen and select tools quickly

Unless you all write lessons in Asian vertical text often, I think you'll find that the most useful new features are the equations tool and new right-click menu.

Right Click Menu for Select and Pen tools:

Before version 1.6, you could choose the pen and select tools by clicking on the main toolbar. But this is often time consuming and distracting when you are going back and forth across the board to do so. Now you can switch with two easy clicks. 

1. If you are on the arrow/select tool, simply right click and this menu will appear. The first option is "pen". Now you will have the pen tool.

2. To switch from the pen tool to the arrow/select tool, right click and this menu will appear. Choose "select" and you will be on the arrow/select tool.  

You also have the option of changing all of what you just wrote into text. For example, in this flipchart I have written the name of the hidden animal:

I can now right-click and choose "convert to text" and it will change all of what I have written into text.

This is just like the Handwriting Recognition tool, except that when using Handwriting Recognition you have to make sure to write quickly. It also changes the color and width of your pen. 

When using the "Convert to Text" option, nothing changes except the words are now text. You are also able to do this without worrying about keeping up with the timing. 

Equations Editor:

The neat thing about this tool is that you can easily add mathematical equations to your flipchart without having to search for the right symbols or line up your fractions just so. It's simple and easy to add fractions, long division, or even more complex operations. 

The Equation tool can be found in two locations:

Insert--->Equation from the main menu on top

or Insert--->Equation from the main toolbar

Just click on your flipchart and this menu will appear:

Click around on top and different math symbols and equations will appear.

I decided I might add some fractions to make a flipchart page. Just click on the equation you would like to use and insert the numbers into that equation.

Once my fraction is inserted, I can click on it and resize it or move it around the page. 

I can also edit that fraction or add a new one.

Now I have an easy fraction flipchart page. I don't have to worry about trying to line up the numbers and symbols to make it look right, it's done for me. 

Good job Promethean!