In a previous blog post, we pointed out a few examples from the Activities folder in the Lesson Activity Toolkit that can help provide immediate feedback to the learners in your classroom.  In addition to the Activities, there is a folder labeled Tools that contains a number of Flash objects that can be added to any Notebook page. Here are a few that we’ve seen teachers use effectively in their lessons.

Note Reveal

Having a list of text bullets visible on the page all at one time means that while you’re addressing the first point, your students are already reading ahead and not completely processing the information. The Note Reveal can be used to reveal points for discussion, steps in a process, or questions/prompts one at a time as you present new information to students.

As a tool for student interaction, you might consider a Jeopardy style quiz such as the one pictured. Here, the Note Reveal provides a way for students to check their answers.

Random Word Chooser

The Random Word Chooser provides you with up to 36 spaces that can be filled with items that you’d like to choose at random. You can choose the number of spaces you’ll use as well as whether or not to repeat the items. Some possibilities might include:

• student names – choose students at random to perform a task, answer a question, provide a response.

• math equations – present math equations at random that students must solve.

• vocabulary words – randomly review vocabulary words related to a unit of study.

• character traits – randomly choose a character trait and students must identify a character from the story who demonstrates that trait (and find evidence in the text to support the answer).

Random Group Picker

Teachers who use cooperative learning strategies like to keep the groups that are formed ever changing to meet the needs of the task and to provide differentiation.  Add student names to the generator, being sure to fill in the names going down the column in order.  At the bottom, choose the number of groups to generate then click on the Generate button.

You’ll notice after you’ve generated a grouping that you can also Regroup if necessary for the task at hand. If you need to further tweak the groups for any reason, you can also highlight and delete a name from a grouping or add a name to a grouping by clicking in that space and typing. The options to Inject groups in the lower right corner, inserts text objects containing the names in each group.  This would allow you to delete the Generator leaving the groupings on a page for your lesson.

Checker Tool

The Checker Tool checks any text that is dragged into it and provides feedback with a green check mark for correct and a red X for incorrect.  As you set up a page in your lesson where the Checker Tool will be used, you’ll enter the text that will be accepted by this tool.  On the page, the tool can be used in a number of ways:

• fill in the blank in a sentence

• label images

• label diagrams

• organize steps in a process (using several checkers in a list)

• add a checker to a page containing a video to check for understanding (the image below is an example of using the “I’m Just a Bill” video in combination with several Checkers that ask students to put the process into the correct order after viewing.)

Dice

In the Tools folder of the Lesson Activity Toolkit, there are several interactive Dice.

Dice – Image: Edit this dice by dragging and dropping images for each of the six sides. Roll the dice to randomly choose an image.

Use it in a lesson:

• Add images of countries; students will identify the continent on which they’re located

• Add images of molecules; students will roll the dice and identify each one

• Add simple images – students will identify the beginning letter sound

• Add images for various triangles – students will identify and explain the attributes (e.g. acute triangle – all angles are less than 90 degrees)

Dice – Keyword: Edit the dice by typing a word into each of the six sides.  Roll the dice to randomly choose a word.

Use it in a lesson:

• Leave a blank space at the beginning of a word for younger students to identify the missing beginning letter then write the full word on the page.

• Students roll the dice in a science or social studies lesson to choose a vocabulary word to be defined.

• Add traits of various characters in a story to each of the six side. Students roll the dice to choose a trait, identify a character who displayed that trait and find evidence in the text to show how that trait was displayed.

What are your favorite Tools in the Lesson Activity Toolkit?