Templates - Tools & Lessons
Link to Free Basic Version
Notebook Software
Why SMART
I promote SMART Technology because it works for teachers. Trust me, I know technology can be a problem; SMART Technology has come a long way. I was there in the beginning; SMART Notebook is what I used in class. I have no affiliation with SMART other than promoting their goods and services.
SMART Digital Lesson Planning
Dedicate PD Time to create SMART
Digital Lesson Plan Banks.
We have the technology to create a network of teachers who create and share lesson plans. Here's Why
1. SMART Notebook Software's many functions.
2. Easy to move, reuse, improve and file lessons.
3. Create, donate and draw from Lesson Plan Banks,
4. Use & Create Templates,
5. Inspire with WAY Game Picture Prompts
6. Daily Post PDF or Notebook lessons
7. Create and Use AI Prompts to customize learning
8. Most Practical PD Ever
9. Use {OTL}'s Other Teacher's Lessons. Works of Art & Science.
10. OTL/SDLP improves student access and learning! ​
11. Use SMART Boards so students can see, hear and interact.
12. Teachers use the 9-step lesson planning process that CAP Notes offers. ​
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Less teacher burnout, lesson quality and outcomes improve. Preserve and grow your lesson plans with SMART Notebook Templates - your guide to fun and games. ​Don't wait, learn how to preserve and improve your lessons, then get to it!
Why Teachers Should Embrace SMART Digital Lesson Planning​
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Switching to SMART digital lesson planning is not just an upgrade—it’s a revolution. By leveraging AI, teachers gain unprecedented tools to customize learning instructions and create dynamic, engaging lessons. This is the quantum leap in lesson planning we’ve been waiting for.Imagine this: on a single professional development (PD) day, teachers collaborate to create digital lesson plans aligned with curriculum objectives. These plans are then added to a shared Digital Lesson Bank, accessible to all educators. Instead of reinventing the wheel, teachers can draw from this rich resource, saving time and enhancing consistency in teaching standards.But it doesn’t stop there. SMART Notebook software transforms lesson planning into an interactive experience. Integrated with SMART Boards, it allows students to hear, see, and engage with lessons directly. Plus, the free Basic Version ensures accessibility for students, fostering a more inclusive learning environment.Here’s a personal example: I posted my lesson plans on our class website, and over five years, they received 45,000 visits—an incredible testament to the value of sharing resources. Even after retirement, those plans continued to benefit hundreds more. With today’s technology, the potential impact is even greater.Think of the possibilities: improved student performance, reduced teacher workload, and collaborative innovation. A shared Digital Lesson Bank could revolutionize education, making high-quality lessons available to everyone, everywhere—for free. Let’s make this vision a reality.​OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
Why Post SMART Digital Lesson Plans?
CAT = Connections, Accountability, Transparency
Connections - develop relationships, work as a Team, and Empower Students & Parents.
Accountability - colleagues, students, parents, administration and society.
Transparency - share what teachers DO!
I don't work for SMART - SMART works for me, which I'm grateful for; their technology helps my purpose, which is connecting with students and parents.
I owe the people who created and maintain SMART technology a debt of gratitude. a SMART WAY to Learn would not exist without SMART people.
Plan with
the WAY Game
in Mind
a SMART WAY to Learn
Is being designed as a Case Study for Student Teachers - a veteran teacher shares advice and resources in a series of Training Videos & SMART Notebook Lesson Plans.
Any reference to my Files being found on SMART Exchange - it didn't happen. : { sorry.
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Template for Unit Plans
Dragging and Dropping completed Daily Digital Lessons into Unit Plans is a great way to see how well lessons flow together.
Learn SMART Notebook Features
How many times have I told students to put their name on their work. Found on SMART Exchange, author unknown. 23 slides than outline features found in SMART Notebook.
An Example of an {OTL} - Other Teacher's Lesson.
What Teachers Do
Used in presentations to show some of the things teachers may deal with from day to day.
Tools for
the WAY Game
Dice, Spinners, Player's Score Sheet, Timer, Pathfinder Clues, 7 Game Templates and more.
SMART WAY Activities
39 or so SMART Activities cover WAY Game Tools, Video Transcripts, and Quizzes.
{Under Construction.}
CAP Notes
CAP Note Templates & Example. Save these pages in the My Content Folder.
Lesson Plan Samples
Board Note Lesson Plan Examples randomly selected from my last year of teaching. Lessons are improved from year to year.
Pathfinder Clues
A way for the SMART Board Judge to randomly select Pathfinder Clues and award them to the winning team after a team wins a WAY Game challenge.
Random Student Selection Tool
Teachers need to enter their students names on pages that contain spinners. .
2 WAY Games Template & 2 Sample Games
WAY Seven Game Templates
My Favorite Websites
Websites I used to 'seed' my lesson plans
when I taught grade 5.
Notebook WAY for Students & Players
2 Blank WAY Game Templates for
virtual play.
Three Pillars
Experiments in Digital Lesson Planning.
One Digital Lesson Plan from one PD Day will seed and grow School District Lesson Plan Banks.
WAY on PowerPoint
Enter your Q & A on PowerPoint. Save your File with the Date and descriptive name.
SMART WAY Lessons
For School District's Lesson Plan Banks
I used a traditional teacher planner for most of my teaching career. A couple of years before my retirement, I experimented with Digital Lesson Planning with SMART Notebook Software. Notebook Software allowed me to create lesson plans that could be built upon and shared - and that's important!
Objectives, teaching resources, test reviews, audio/video, student work samples, are posted daily; they show what Teachers and Students DO IN CLASS. This is a form Transparency. Another form of Transparency are weekly Game Cards. the ability for 'others' to see what goes on behind closed doors is possible, and essential, when we work as a team.
The Lesson Never Dies - Only Abandoned
Lesson 1
Lesson 1 A series of 31 Micro-Lessons gives users a great overview of the WAY Game and a SMART WAY to Learn.
Lesson 2
Lesson are grouped - Introduction, Student Activities, Tools & Techniques, Many Voices.
Lesson 3
Something in the Air - a walk to class with an outline of select Tools & Techniques I used in class.
Lesson 4
Lesson 4 Educational Day Homes. A way to reduce class size. Created at the height of the Pandemic. Could be a form of hybrid learning.