The Whiteboard Challenge

I just read about the Interactive Whiteboard Challenge in The Edublogger. What a great idea! The purpose of the project is to:

To improve the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom and to stimulate more discussion about how they can best be used.

The project, organized by Jess McCullock, includes 7 challenges to improve your Interactive Whiteboard (aka Smartboard) skills. Each challenge involves you using a Smartboard tool (cloning, transparency, recording, containers) to create something for your students to use. Once you’ve completed a challenge, you will compose a blog post reflecting on the experience. If you don’t have a blog, no worries. Contact jessATtechnoloteDOTcom for an alternative.

To get started, access the Whiteboard Challenge wiki to sign up and view the challenges. Even if you don’t want to participate, you can benefit from viewing the challenges, which demonstrate how to use various whiteboard tools. You will also find a Lesson Files page on the wiki for the sharing of files (notebook files, word, gallery, etc) by the participants. If you complete all the tasks, your name will be included in drawing for 1 Flip Video camera. The challenge has started and runs for 14 weeks.

The Willard Challenge

Willard Staff: If you participate and complete at least 3 of the 7 challenges, I will put your name in a local drawing for a new Flip Mino video camera to be used in your classroom. There will be 1 camera awarded per every 3 participants. So if we have 3 participants, 1 name is drawn and 1 camera awarded. If we have 4+ participants, 2 names will be drawn and 2 cameras awarded, etc. The deadline for completing your 3 challenges is December 8th.

If you need any assistance with the challenges or sharing your reflections, need to borrow a microphone or webcam,  just let me know. I’m more than happy to help.

If having easy access to a Smartboard is keeping you from participating, please note that there will be another Willard Challenge next month that might better suit you. (Thanks for the inspiration, Jess!)

Edublogs recently upgraded their security system. This has resulted in all users having to reset their passwords. When you attempt to log into your blog, you will be prompted to reset your password. The process is easy, but if you would like, here’s a handout on resetting your password that will lead you through the steps.

This looks like a great collaborative project. If I Were Running for President is hosted by DeAnna Sheets, a teacher in Branson, MO.

Students will poll adults and students from their school and collect data about what issues make them choose one presidential candidate over another. The students will then use that data and create a mock presidential candidate of their own. They will include background information on their mock presidential candidate, key issues, political party ticket, campaign slogan and title. After all of the participating schools have created and entered their mock presidential candidate, an election will be held to see which candidate has been elected as the new president.

• Project Dates: September 2, 2008-November 7, 2008
• Grades 1-6
• Registration is open
• To see the list of classrooms currently registered visit the project wiki and look for the Sidebar on the right.
• Minimal tech tools required. “The basics you will need: either access to a digital camera or a way to upload pictures of your kids drawings etc (unless you choose to do them on a computer). You or your students will need to have access to one computer to type in all of the completed information about the candidate for others to read.”
• Information must be uploaded to the wiki by October 27, 2008
• Election will be held November 3-7th. All students will get to cast their vote.

I would love to see a Willard class participate in this. Let me know if I can help!

Image Credit: EJP Photo

All the Willard R-II attendance centers are subscribing to Discovery Education Streaming this year, aka United Streaming. This is a powerful resource with an extensive collection of videos, lesson plans, worksheets, speeches, songs, images, quizzes, etc. for all grade levels. Yes, you can access this tool from home.

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