3 Container Sort

The Container Sort is an interactive way for your students to sort images and ideas. This tool will allow your students to sort objects into containers that look like the idea they represent. The keys to its functionality are layering, ordering and facades.

You can create a great 3-Container Sort in 4 easy steps:
1. Add the containers
2. Add the contents
3. Create the facades
4. Order the objects

1. Add the containers – You can use images from the Gallery, the Internet or you can create them yourself. You can use up to three containers and still have a unique response for each container, although you can have as many containers as you can fit on the page.

2. Add the contents – Get the contents from wherever you’d like and simply drag them or copy/paste them onto the page.

3. Create the facades – First, set your zoom to 100% (View>Zoom>100%). Next, open your Image Capture Toolbar (the camera on the SMART Notebook toolbar), make sure the check box at the lower left is unchecked and choose the “Area Capture” tool.

After that, you’ll be ready to take the picture you need for your facade. Imagine a rectangle that encompasses the entire width of your container and the height from the bottom to the middle of the mouth. Position your mouse at one corner of this imaginary rectangle, press and hold the left-click button of your mouse and drag diagonally, to the opposite corner of the imaginary rectangle. When you release the mouse, your picture will appear on the page. Next, place the facade directly on top of the original container so they look as if there is only one container. Repeat these steps for each container.

4. Order the objects – Although you have as many layers as there are objects on the screen, collectively there are three layers: the containers in the back layer, contents in the middle and facades in the front.

Select one of the three collections and order its layers to the front or back. If there are three containers, repeat this for another collection. You don’t need to repeat this process for the last collection. Lock the containers, contents and facades in place with the “allow move” option.

Lastly, scramble your contents so each object will appear to enter its correct container, but pass either in front of or behind the other containers.