Smart Board, KS2... How do you use yours?

[littlecupcake]

Returned to teaching after a long break, and I'm now in UKS2, having previously taught Year 2 for many years.

The technology aspect has moved on so much in the time that I've been out of the classroom so I feel a bit out of touch. So, apart from the usual PowerPoint presentations (yawn!) and video clips, tell me some wonderful things that you do with your boards. Suggestions for good widget thingys are also very welcome, particularly for behaviour management and chatty classes!

[Snowbotheratall]

Get yourself a free Prowise account. Loads of gizmos (birthday songs, working board compasses, dice, spinners). Seriously, just explore.

Prowise also has a Voting system - prowise connect. Kids go to prowise page on ipads, you click on connect logo - code displayed on board.
Kids enter name and the code and then you're all able to contribute. Make mind maps ( type subject, its displated on boards kids type words, the appear on screen) they love that. (Just warn them, no emojis they dont show up. And it says [poo!] If they hit the one they insist is "Ice cream Miss!" )
You can also set questions (true/false, colours, a-e, yes/no) option on ipads, kids click theit choice it displays on board.
(These can be saved in presentation - used carefully it can be a record of formative assessment, zero additional time).

There are some fun maths races (monkeys climbing a vine, rockets taking off) where the things moves with each correct answer and they're racing each other.

Love Prowise. It's the best bits of smart and promethean software, Web based so you can create the things you need at home and access in school.

GoNoodle - again, free account. Great for a 'brain break' Last year's class loved the Zumba Kids, pop-se-ko and DiscoBrain. This year we're more into secret handshakes and trolls. They love it, and it's a 2-3 minute video that gets them up and moving and they'll do almost anything to be allowed to choose a video! (Last year my class had adult supervision on indoor plays - Indoor recess videos were amazing. I got my coffee, they got 13 minutes of jumping, dancing, running on the spot. Came back to a much more settled class than after 15 minutes of drawing/reading/ being bored. I don't allow it without adult presence though. )

Also very easy to build a presentation in SmartNotebook. Use shapes to hide answer so they can self check (change colour to match background if you want to do a 'reveal' yourself while talking.)

Display a model piece of work. Have kids annotate it (best for writing) using different colours for different aspects (red= topic sentences, green = connectives, etc)

Not a smartboard thing, but my noisy/chatty class adore "the secret person" - I choose a random person (class dojo randomiser). If that person is working and behaving well for their 90min slot, the whole class gets a teamwork dojo. (I might add a 'secret person' category) we all cheer, person gets a Sticker. If person broke a rule, was too loud, didn't work I just say, "Our secret person didn't make good choices " reiterate expectations. I don't name unsuccessful secret people.

[Snowbotheratall]

Also class tools.net has musical timers, fun countown timers and the fruit machine randomiser (which let's you remove previously selected) kids really seem to love watching the names click round.

We use musical timers for writing, changing for gym, playing walk-around games, tidying... almost everything (they go crazy for Mission impossible and Star Wars).

[littlecupcake]

Wow, thank you both for all of this info. I've had a quick look at some of the bits and pieces and I think I am going to use lots of what you've recommended. I love the GoNoodle site - I have a class that needs a lot of movement breaks and this might be just the thing to help. I can't wait to get my DC into bed so that I can have a proper play around with it

[TeacherBob]

Ive just signed up to GoNoodle, thanks

I use youtube justdance kids, they love one direction thats what makes you happy and what does the fox say. Also gummy bears but i hate it so tell them its broke sometimes!

I use smartbook, I have one for maths and one for english, and always add to it, so we can look back through the learning if need be, keeps it in one piece.
I also use it for timers, youtube classical music for calming time and sound effects for topic work (space music whilst independent learning about space etc).

I tend to have it open with things I want the children to see all lesson (such as learning objectives), and use it for starters and plenaries and then with work i am 'teaching' i put onto ordinary flipchart paper for the working walls. It depends what I am doing I guess

[littlecupcake]

I had great fun lady night playing around with Prowise (got DH to connect his iPad and it was SO easy). I can see loads of possibilities for using this in the classroom and I love the way the pupils will all be engaged with their iPads too. I will definitely be using this, and will incorporate it into my observation as well!

Are there any pre-written files for the Smart programme? It would be great to get ideas from other people to spark my imagination!

[littlecupcake]

Last night, not lady night!

[littlecupcake]

Wow, I'm at a new school so I hadn't realised how lucky we are to have them. I'm apprehensive about using them, which is why I'm so pleased about Prowise - it's a great way to make sure the pupils are on task with their iPads , which is my biggest concern... How do you monitor what each pupil is doing with them?!

[Snowbotheratall]

Prowise is awesome! Its my favourite tech thing just now!

I have general "cover closed when I'm speaking" rule on ipads to minimise distractions (haha).

They all sign an agreement about using ipap/laptops as needed, no games, no random websites during learning time etc... general off task same as playing with maths game pieces while should be writing, messing with dictionary instead of using appropriately. (We talk about ipads being tools and misusing tools consequence applies). Breaking ICT agreement = ipad with direct supervision only.

If you're worried about getting them safely to websites you can use QR codes (those square things on packets/adverts). Use a QR code generator (just Google and pick a free one!), paste in link and click to make a code, print or paste into worksheet. Install QR reader on ipads (free ones are fine here) Kids open app, scan the QR code and it loads the website. (Really useful for sticking on artefacts/photos to get them to a decent website rather than them shousing "what's this? " or worse googling "name of weird cup thing")
KS2 won't need much introduction to QR codes. (They can make their own to recommend sites too).