As learners, we like to know when we’re on the right track and where we need to focus in order to improve our skills and understandings. As teachers, we help students learn by providing feedback. The more quickly students receive feedback when performing any task, the better chance that feedback can influence future learning or serve to reinforce current learning.

Many of the options in the SMART Notebook’s Lesson Activity Toolkit provide instant feedback as students work with content throughout the lesson. You’ll find the Toolkit by clicking on the Gallery tab. Click on the Lesson Activity Toolkit folder to find the Activities folder and explore the options.

Here are a few that you might consider using in your next lesson along with links to tutorial videos demonstrating their use.

1. Vortex Sort (Text and Image)

 The Vortex Sort can be used with any topic for which items must be sorted into two categories. You define the categories and decide what students will sort using the Vortex for text or the Vortex for images. When items are dragged to either vortex, students get immediate visual feedback. To make it a higher level thinking activity, you might consider leaving the categories unnamed requiring students to do a little extra thinking about what’s being accepted or rejected in the vortex. While you’re editing the Vortex activity, you can add another dimension to it by checking the box labeled “rotate vortices.”

2. Keyword Match

Every content area has its own vocabulary that students must be able to understand and use appropriately. Using the Keyword Match allows you to set up a total of 8 vocabulary words and definitions that must be matched. As a review activity, once the matches have all been made use the check button to see where the correct matches were made. As a pre-assessment, tap on the Check button before your students begin to make matches. This will provide immediate feedback as they work. While this activity is called Keyword Match, it can also be used in math to match equations with final answers, English words with their foreign language equivalents, states and capitals and much more.

3. Pairs

Much like a concentration game, Pairs asks students to find two things that match. Once a match is found, the two items are taken off the board. Matches can be made between text and image, text and text, or image and image. Up to 12 pairs of items to be matched can be set up in this activity.

4. Category Sort

There are two Category Sorts in the Toolkit that make use of either text only or images only. You will set up 1, 2 or 3 categories then enter the items to be categorized. Students will drag the items into each category. In terms of the feedback students receive while working through the sort, you can use the Check button either after the sort if completed or enable it before the activity begins.

5. Multiple Choice

The name Multiple Choice describes this activity well. You can set up a total of 10 questions and provide a choice of 4 possible answers for each question designating the correct answer as well. Choosing a correct answer places a green checkmark in the corner of that answer, incorrect shows a red X. A correct answer must be determined in order to move to the next question. Each time this activity is used, the possible answers for each question randomize themselves so there’s no chance for students to memorize the answers for the next time or to share with others.

Instructional Uses

Any of the activities from the Lesson Activity Toolkit can be inserted into a SMART Notebook lesson giving the teacher the option to guide the use of the activity as the lesson progresses. This provides opportunities to check for understanding, pre-assess or give students a “brain break.” When editing any of these activities, you’ll notice that there is a box to enter to password. This comes in handy when you’re using a Notebook file in a learning center. With the addition of a password to any activity, students will not be able to enter the Edit mode to make changes.

Which activities do you find yourself using often? What do you find are the best uses for the activities?