Math Tools Part IV - Formula Handwriting Recognition

In today's tutorial on Math Tools for SMART Notebook, I've featured what I believe is the best element of the new toolbar -- formula handwriting recognition.  While SMART Notebook has always allowed for handwriting to be converted into actual text, most Math formulas went "wonky" when teachers tried to apply this element. 

Luckily, SMART recognized the need and demand for this feature when they released their Math toolbar! Check out my quick 'how-to' video below for a demo of what this new option can do for the Math teachers you know. (Where was this when I was a kid?):





For those keeping track, this is my 4th venture into the world of 'how to' video making. I gotta say, it doesn't get any easier to hear your own voice played back! lol :)

Happy Monday!

Vanessa

Math Tools Part III - New Shapes & Irregular Polygons

For my 3rd installment of new Math Tools for SMART Notebook, I chose to go with 2 of the simpler tools -- the addition of shapes and the ability to create your own irregular polygons. While these are quite basic features, they're also some of the more desired features that make planning a Math lesson a bit more efficient for teachers.





Directions for above video:


1. Click on the Shapes tool within the Math toolbar
-- Numerous regular polygons appear, allowing you to choose a polygon with up to 15 equal sides


2. Click on the Irregular Polygons tool


3. Click anywhere on your SMART Notebook page, which will allow you to identify the vertices for your irregular polygon.


4. "Close" your chosen points to form a complete irregular polygon, which can then be manipulated in the same fashion as all other shapes.

Some quick, simple yet effective tools now available from the Math toolbar.  As always, try the 30 day free trial at smarttech.com

Vanessa

Math Tools Part II -- Interact with Vertices, Angles and Lengths

 First, just a side note from a recent convention (NETCA in Edmonton).  Congratulations to Helena Welsh at Athabasca Delta Community School who won a SMART Board 685 i3!!


And now onto today's post...

I've done a lot of 'on-the-fly' demos of the new SMART Math Tools for Notebook at recent professional development workshops and teachers' conventions. The new ability to manipulate a shape's vertices and have the corresponding interior angles and side lengths displayed always gets a great reaction from Math teachers.

Therefore, I thought it was time to share my second installment of 'how-to' videos on the new SMART Math Tools:




Step by Step Instructions for the Above Video:


1. Insert a shape that contains corners


2. Marquee select (highlight) the shape


3. Select "Show/Hide Vertices" from the drop down menu


4. Select "Show/Hide Interior Angles" from the drop down menu


5. Select "Show/Hide Side Lengths" from the drop down menu


6. The vertices (red circles on the corners of the shape) are interactive. Click and drag to change their position. Note that the interior angles and side lengths also change as you manipulate the vertices.

If you want to try this feature (and more) out, download the 30 day free trial from SMART Technologies.

Vanessa

SMART Notebook Math Tools - Part I

SMART Technologies released its full version of Math Tools for Windows last month (download a 30-day free trial version here). This new Math toolbar appears bolted under the original tool bar in SMART Notebook and looks like this:

I gotta say, despite the fact that I taught Social Studies for the majority of my teaching career, I'm very impressed with the amount of calculations, demos and visuals this new Math toolbar can do! While I'm no expert on teaching Math, I am very much aware of how these new features can improve student understanding of abstract concepts, and open the door for some inquiry-based learning in the field of Mathematics (but that's a post for another day!)

Therefore, I will be devoting a number of future blog posts to helping teachers uncover the various features of this amazing tool -- starting today. It's also an excuse to begin experimenting with creating SMART Notebook instructional videos -- so please bear with me as I not only relive my Calculus and Algebra days, but also venture into amateur movie making :)

** Note: For this particular post, I've been faced with the problem of my MAC recognizing my microphone drivers on the Windows side...sigh...therefore, rather than narrate this one, I'll record the steps in written text below the video!

Lesson #1: Shape Division

Steps:


1. Select the "perfect circle" option under the shapes tool


2. Press where you want the middle of the circle to be and drag to increase the size


3. Select the circle either by clicking on its border or marquee selecting


4. Select the drop-down menu that appears and choose "shape division"


5. Designate the number of segments you'd like to divide the shape into (up to 12)


Voila!


For the square, choose the 'perfect square' option under the shapes tool and repeat steps 2 - 5.

For an even better visual, you can choose to fill one or more of the segments with different colours -- use your properties tab and choose 'fill effects'

Watch for more Math Toolbar tips in the future!

Vanessa