SMART launches database of K–12 lesson activities correlated to state standards
First interactive whiteboard company to enable educators to browse content by curriculum standards
CALGARY, Alberta --- September 6, 2005 --- SMART Technologies Inc. announces the immediate availability of its new searchable database of interactive K–12 lesson activities correlated to U.S. state standards. It is the first searchable database of lesson activities for interactive whiteboards. The standards-based activities are organized by state, subject area, grade level and keyword for easy searching on SMART’s new website for educators, education.smarttech.com/standards. The content, developed by teachers from SMART and around the world, is available at no charge for immediate classroom use with SMART products. SMART will continue to expand the database with more lesson activities and teaching resources for educators using SMART Board interactive whiteboards and SMART interactive pen displays.
The lesson activities are fully editable, allowing teachers to add to the material or customize them for their specific needs. Created in Notebook™ whiteboarding software, the content caters to all grade levels and covers a wide range of subjects, including language arts, math, science, social studies, health, physical education and world languages. For example, fifth grade math teachers can use a hands-on activity called ‘Measures of Central Tendency’ to engage students in computing mean, median and mode. Sixth grade teachers can use an activity entitled ‘Solids, Liquids and Gases,’ which includes a virtual simulation where students can observe changes in the state of water molecules as different amounts of heat are applied.
“Interactive whiteboards are becoming a classroom staple across school districts, so educators are looking for digital teaching resources for this medium that also correlate to state curriculum standards,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s president and co-CEO. “For the past few years, we’ve been developing lesson activities with curriculum standards in mind, and with our new standards-based database, SMART now provides an easy way for our customers to quickly find relevant digital content.”
“Being able to search SMART’s database by state standards and grade level is great. It gives me an instant link to ready-made lesson activities,” says Lori Reed, elementary teacher at Kress Independent School District in Kress, TX. “It's the desktop equivalent of having a great meal delivered right to your doorstep!”
“The ability to search for standards-based lesson activities is invaluable to educators,” says Rachel Yurk, sixth-grade teacher at Poplar Creek Elementary School in New Berlin, WI. “The resources on SMART’s website help SMART Board interactive whiteboard users to work within their state requirements while meeting the technological needs of 21st-century learners.”
About SMART Board interactive whiteboards
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is a large, touch-sensitive display. Connected to a computer and projector, the interactive whiteboard is like a giant computer screen that students and teachers simply touch to operate. Using their finger or a pen as a mouse, teachers and students can access and control any computer application, file or multimedia platform, including the Internet, CD-ROMs and DVDs. They can also write over applications in digital ink, then save their work for future study and review. The SMART Board interactive whiteboard engages students with diverse learning styles by providing both immediate access to a wide range of digital materials and a common focus for the entire class – not something easily achieved with other technologies. It is the number one choice among primary and secondary school educators in more than 75 countries worldwide because the pioneering software interface captures the imagination of students of all backgrounds and abilities in order to help them learn together, understand better and achieve more. For more information, visit www.smarttech.com/smartboard
About SMART
SMART Technologies Inc. is both the industry pioneer and global market leader in easy-to-use interactive whiteboards and other group collaboration tools. The award-winning SMART Board interactive whiteboard is the most widely installed product of its kind in the world. Many school jurisdictions have standardized on the product, which provides interactive learning opportunities and enhances student achievement in more than 150,000 classrooms spanning every U.S. state, every Local Education Authority in the UK and more than 75 countries. SMART products also include interactive pen displays, interactive digital signage, wireless slates, multimedia cabinets and software. Using SMART products, groups can access and share the information they need to meet, teach, train and present. SMART’s education customers include New York City Board of Education (U.S.), Oxford University (UK), Tokyo Nampei Senior High School (Japan), Barnier Public School (Australia), University of Ottawa (Canada), United World College (Singapore), Stephen-Hawking-Schule Neckargemuend (Germany), Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (U.S.) and Harvard University (U.S.).
SMART is a private company founded in 1987. Employing more than 600 people, SMART is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with assembly facilities in Ottawa and Calgary, and offices in Bonn, Tokyo, New York City and Washington, D.C. SMART has been issued and maintains a broad portfolio of patents with numerous other U.S., Canadian and foreign patents pending. In 1992, SMART formed a strategic alliance with Intel® Corporation that resulted in joint product development and marketing efforts, and Intel’s equity ownership in SMART. SMART products are sold through dealers across North America and distributors worldwide. For more information, visit www.smarttech.com.
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For more information, contact:
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
1207 – 11th Avenue SW, Suite 300
Calgary, AB T3C 0M5
CANADA
403.802.2500
pr@smarttech.com
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.