My SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Anything you can do on a computer screen you can do on an interactive whiteboard. The children can come to the board and write with a stylus or their fingers, or move objects or words around on the board. The 52-inch screen can also be used to project a video.
One of the first lessons I did with the whiteboard was to introduce prepositions. I had an image of a little bug and a plant on the screen. Someone would come up and move the bug. The bug could go under the plant, over the plant, or across the plant. Students brainstormed prepositions as they moved the bug around.
I can build a multiple-choice quiz or review [using the Classroom Performance System from eInstruction]. The children hold their own remotes. I put a question up, we read it, and then they push “A,” “B,” “C,” or “D.” When everybody has an answer in, then I push a button and the correct answer comes up, so they’re getting immediate feedback.
All the lessons you build are stored on your computer. This year, building the lessons has taken time, but the next five to eight years will be a breeze. Everything will be ready with a click of the mouse.