Whiteboards Stimulate Student Learning
Start with a clean slate next semester -- introduce mini-whiteboards to your classroom! Students love working on their own whiteboards; it's a great way of keeping an entire class actively involved in a lesson. Education World offers five lessons to engage students in learning with whiteboards. Included: Tips from whiteboard users plus alternatives to whiteboards!
Individual student whiteboards are the 21st-century version of the chalk slates used by students in colonial times! As thousands of teachers have found, whiteboards are a great way of actively involving students in the learning process -- and a terrific tool for immediate feedback and assessment.
Not to worry! If whiteboards are not for you, there are alternatives. More on those alternatives a bit farther down the page!
A WHITEBOARD FOR EVERY STUDENT
Mini-whiteboards are easy to make.
If your students already have mini-whiteboards, skip the instructions below and go directly to this week's Whiteboard Lesson Plans.
Most building supply stores or your local hardware store carry sheets of the material that builders use to line bathroom showers -- sometimes called melamine or tile board. A panel of whiteboard material, usually measuring 4 feet by 8 feet, costs about $10.
Most stores will cut the panels to any size you wish -- especially if you tell them the whiteboards are for classroom use. First, however, you'll want to consider how you'll use the whiteboards. Most teachers find that individual boards cut to a size of 12 inches square work well, but boards can be cut to any size. For example:
TIPS FROM WHITEBOARD USERS
Before you introduce whiteboards to your students, you might want to know the following:
WHITEBOARD ALTERNATIVES
If whiteboards aren't in your budget, or if the smell of dry-erase markers is an issue for you or some students, workable alternatives are available.
This week, Education World offers five ideas for using whiteboards as a tool for active classroom learning. Click on any lesson headline below for a complete teaching resource.
Daily Numbers: A Daily Math Skill Reinforcement Activity
Use this daily lesson to reinforce skills and improve student test scores in math and other areas of the curriculum. (Grades K-12)
Handwriting Practice Made Easy
Students use lined whiteboards as they learn and practice handwriting skills.
(Grades K-5)
Whiteboard Jeopardy-Style Game
Help students use individual whiteboards to review content before a unit test or to improve skills in vocabulary, geography, math, and so on. (Grades K-12)
Whiteboard Spelling Test
Students actively participate in whiteboard exercises that replace traditional (boring!) weekly spelling activities. (Grades K-8)
Guess Which Word?
Engage students in a game that reinforces phonics and language skills. (Grades K-12)
Gary Hopkins
Education World®
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