Ideas for Using Interactive White Boards or Promethean Boards as a Center

       Your interactive board can be used for many different types of Center activities AND a good way to differentiate.  Here's some ideas on how to use your Interactive White Boards as a Center...

Promethean Boards (1 User)

• Flipchart with a student's name assigned to each page
• Easy to differentiate instruction
• Over a couple days each student would get a turn to do their page.
• Flipchart that students each get a turn to use.
• I would put a color coded star next to their name on my center chart.  Each group would be divided in half so 1/2 the group would be at the board one day, then the other half the next day.
• Can differentiate by having 2-3 pages where groups are assigned to a specific page
• Interactive Website or Program - like ThinkCentral, Starfall, Pixie, Kidspiration
• Project worksheet or graphic organizer for students to annotate using Desktop Annotate through ActivInspire

Epson Projectors in Computer Mode (Using Touch for Second Student)

• Flipchart with a student's name assigned to each page
• Flipchart that students share 
• 1 student on pen, 1 student on touch if the activity requires writing
• Up to 6 students could be at the board at once if they are only manipulating objects.
• Interactive Website
• Project worksheet or graphic organizer for students to annotate using Desktop Annotate through ActivInspire OR turn off Touch Input and have them write using the white board and dry erase marker.  Can also use the document camera to project something for students to write on.

Epson Projectors in Projector Mode (2 students on pen, 2-6 students using finger but must agree to the tool they will use - erase or write).

• Flipchart, document, document under document camera, or website that students can annotate over but not have to manipulate the document (turning the page, scrolling up or down). 

Epson Projectors with Dual Mode in ActivInspire (max - 2 students on pens, 1+ students on touch (but students using touch must agree on what tool they are using :)).  **Requires a request for a driver update through SchoolDude to make Dual Mode functional on our computers.**

• Flipchart with a student's name assigned to each page
• Flipchart that students share 
• 2 students on pen, 1 student on touch - all 3 can write and interact with the flipchart independently
• Up to 6 students could be at the board at once if they are only manipulating objects.
• Interactive Website (only 1 student can use a website because websites are designed for only 1 user at a time).
• Project worksheet or graphic organizer for students to annotate using Desktop Annotate through ActivInspire OR turn off Touch Input and have them write using the white board and dry erase marker.  Can also use the document camera to project something for students to write on.

Work done in flipcharts can be printed out as evidence of student work for assessments or be sent home.  Click here to see how to print out flipcharts.

Click here to learn how to change what buttons are available to students in the ActivInspire toolbar.
Click here to turn on/off page gestures in ActivInspire.


Some ideas for Centers...
Don't forget to check out Promethean Planet!

Language Arts

• Word Work activities - there's an alphabet chart you can use as a template available in the browser of ActivInspire or ask me (Corey) for a template.
• build words - say it, make it, write it.
• Embed sound files - record your self saying a word and students have to write it or make it with letters
• Finding letters, words, spelling patterns, syllable parts by highlighting or circling.
• Name Recognition / Get to Know You Activities - take students pictures and put them into the flipchart to match with their name or spell using the letter tiles
• Writing letters or spelling words practice
• Written response to a task
• Reading Center - poem, article, online text (like texts from Raz-Kids or Starfall).

Math

• Interactive tools - calculator, ruler, protractor, dice, timer
• Writing numbers
• Solving Math Problems
• Acting out Math problems
• Showing how to make a number in different ways

Art 

• Drawing a picture to be used in a story (digital or print out)

Science

• Measurement tools - thermometer, balance, scale templates available in the Browser and on Promethean Planet