0 Setting Up Your Classroom Website on AmazingClassroom.com

In this post I will describe in detail, the steps needed to set-up your classroom website on our service.  This is a common question we get so I thought I would share it here for anyone thinking about setting up a classroom website. 

The first thing you should know is that your website URL will be AmazingClassroom.com followed by a forward slash / then your User ID.  This will be the link you will want to give out to your parents and students.

For example if your User ID was SAMPLE7 then the link to get to your website would be amazingclassroom.com/SAMPLE7  Note: It does NOT matter if you capitalize letters in a URL or not.  AmaZingClassRoom.Com/Sample7 will work just the same. 

So lets get started setting up your class website:

• Login from our homepage and get to the main website update page which will show your website URL at the top along with your visit count and exp. date. 
• Under all that you will see a list of show/hide links for different parts of your website.
• Click the first one that says show/hide template selection.
• Select a template that you might want to use from the drop down list and click the 'Apply Template' button.
• Once the page reloads you can click the link to your website (at the top) which will pop open your website in a new tab.  Check it and if you like it, then you are done choosing your template.  If not, then repeat until you find a look that you like.  We currently have 16 choices which can all be seen here:  http://www.amazingclassroom.com/examples.asp
  Note: You can change your website look at any time by choosing a different template however each template has its own space requirements so always be sure to check your pages to make sure they are displaying correctly after any changes.
• After you get a template that you like, click the next sections one at a time and choose options that are appropriate for you.  Always click 'save changes' after each section so nothing you type or change will be lost.  Most sections have large text ares that are pre-filled with generic text so make sure to replace it with your own relevant text.  
• Your basic contact info section is also located here on your website update page.  This is where your login password can be changed along with your email, address, phone contact numbers, school and district names, current school year, and other important information.  Please take a minute to make sure that this information is up to date so parents can contact you.  Note: most of this information (except your login password) is shared on your classroom website so please use your public work info and not your personal info.
•  If you do not want a particular page (like say social studies for example) open that section and uncheck the box that says "show social studies page".  After you save the changes, your social studies page link will be gone from your website.  
• If you'd like to add classroom photos there are 4 opportunities for you to do so.  The first is under the home page info section and the other 3 are under the class photos sections.  Note:  Please make sure you have permission from parents to post pictures of children and do not use any full names in the descriptions for privacy purposes.
• If you'd like to share a link (to another website) on your website, each subject section (math, reading, science, social studies, spelling) has an opportunity to add 2 links for that page.  Simply paste a full URL into the appropriate box and save it. Additionally, most of our website templates support automatic linking which I describe fully here:  http://www.amazingclassroom.com/templates/cold_steel/default.asp?cag=sample14 
• If you'd like to share a file on your website, first upload it to our server, then copy and paste the link we provide into one of the large text boxes under the home page info or any of the subject sections.   You may also paste it into the link boxes provided for each subject area.  Many teachers use this feature to share files with their parents/students.   File upload links can be found under most subject sections on your website update page.
• A page for class rules and expectations is also provided near the bottom of your update page.
• If you'd like to make a class schedule page on your website there is a section for that near the bottom as well.  It is a simple process that will walk you through it if you choose to make one. 

Additional Notes: All pages are turned on by default when your account is created so uncheck the boxes on any sections that you do not wish to show up on your website.  Links for your students to login to their gradebook and math facts tests are also turned on by default so disable those if you are not going to be using those features of our service.  

After your initial website set-up, keeping it updated should only take a few minutes per week.  Also be sure to check out our newsletter generators, class forms, math facts tests, whiteboard resources (if you have one) and printables sections (also located under whiteboard resources) to get the most out of our service.  

One more thing... be sure to follow this blog and our facebook page to get updated when we add new stuff, which is quite often.   You can always find links to both of those at the very top of your website update page while you are logged in, so check them often.

I hope that answers some of the questions you may have had about setting up your classroom website.  If you ever get stuck or have additional questions we are always here to help, just contact us and we'll get right back to you as quick as we can.

Bryan

www.AmazingClassroom.com

Detail: Setting Up Your Classroom Website on AmazingClassroom.com

0 How to Install Resource Packs in ActivInspire Tutorial

I have had many questions as to how to install resource packs in Promethean's ActivInspire software.  Click on the video below and I will show you how.  Stop and start the video as needed to try installing them on your own.  I ALWAYS press stop indexing when I install my resource packs.  This is for searching purposes only, so before I search for something I am going to want to re index.  It certainly isn't necessary after each resource pack that you install.    The larger your resource library is, the longer it takes to re index.  I usually bake some cookies while I wait! 

Detail: How to Install Resource Packs in ActivInspire Tutorial

0 ActivInspire Tips - Changing the Text Value

Changing the text value in ActivInspire is one of the actions (red and blue top icon) available in the actions browser of the program.  There are many great uses for this action and in this blog post I will share with you how to create a scoreboard within your flipchart!

How to Create a Scoreboard

• First, make your background rectangle (the blue area) and then make your four other rectangles (the tan areas).  
• Place the text for your teams in the top two tan rectangles.  I used the names team 1 and team 2.  Next, place your arrows in each box.  I placed an up and down area in each space. (Refer to the picture above). You can use the arrows with the shapes tool (the red and orange shapes on your toolbar).
• Now, we have to set the actions, so that when we click on the arrows our numbers change.  When we click on the up arrow, we want our score to go up by 1 point.  When we click on the down arrow, we want our score to go down by one point. 
• Type two separate zeros on your screen.  Place one in the same locations as my picture below. 

1.  Click on the up arrow underneath team 1

2.  With your arrow underneath team 1 clicked, click on change text value in your actions browser.  To open your browser click ctrl+b or view browser and then click on the red and blue top.

3.  Click on the browser button (the 2 dots) next to the Target (Text) space.

4.  Click on text 1.  This is the first text that I placed in my box under team one.  This is what I want to change when the up arrow is clicked.  Click ok.

5. Now, type +1 in the text box.  Make sure your arrow is still selected.  We are setting the action so when the up arrow is clicked, our text value will increase by 1.  This is why we typed +1.  If you wanted it to increase by 5 points each time the arrow was clicked, you would type +5, +10 for 10 points, etc....Then, click apply changes.  Don't click the arrow yet, let's set the down arrow.

6.  Click the down arrow under team 1.

7.  With the down arrow still selected, click change text value in your actions browser.

8.  Click on the browser button (the 2 dots) next to the Target (Text) space.

9.  Click on text 1.  This is the first text that I placed in my box under team one.  This is what I want to change when the down arrow is clicked.  Click ok.

10. Type -1 in the text box.  Make sure your arrow is still selected.  We are setting the action so when the down arrow is clicked, our text value will decrease by 1.  This is why we typed -1.  If you wanted it to decrease by 5 points each time the arrow was clicked, you would type -5, -10 to decrease by 10 points, etc....Then click apply changes.  Save your flipchart!!!

 11.  Now try to click your arrows.  When you click your up arrow, the point value should increase by one.  When you click the down arrow under team 1, the point value should decrease by 1.  Now, follow the same steps above to set the change text value action for your other two arrows under team 2. 

Hopefully, this helps you to put one more action to use in the ActivInspire software.  This can also be used to create counters, such as counting up by 5's, 10's, 20's, etc.  

Stay tuned for my newest resource pack of 20 scoreboards and counters for all of your Promethean flipchart lessons, exclusively at AmazingClassroom.com.  Happy flipchart making!!!

Detail: ActivInspire Tips - Changing the Text Value

0 How to Create Containers in ActivInspire

Creating containers in your lessons is a great way to make your flipcharts interactive.  With containers, students are able to get immediate feedback as to whether an answer is correct, by the container playing a positive sound.  Students also know their choice/answer isn’t correct, when the container won’t allow an object to be placed in it.  Containers can be challenging to make; however, the more practice and the more creating of containers that you do, the better you will become, and the easier containers will be to create.  

Here are the steps to start making containers:

Below I will begin by making containers for nouns and adjectives.  You can choose whatever subject fits your next lesson the best and adapt this to suit your needs.  Here are the steps.

1. Containers can be an image or a shape.  I usually use the shape tool and create rectangles like these.   I have also given each one a title by creating a text box within them.   I typed nouns on one rectangle and adjectives on the other rectangle.  See picture below.

2. Now, I am going to type several nouns and adjectives on my flipchart page, on the outsides of my boxes.  These are the words that students will have to sort, or place in the boxes.  This will give me a formative look at how well the students can differentiate between these two words.  See the pic on the next page to look at the nouns and adjectives that I typed.  

3.  Next, we have to give each of our words a name (keyword)

so the box can identify it. To do this, go to your browser (control b or view browsers) and click on the white piece of paper (property browser).  Click on one of your words.  Click on the three dots (the browser button) next to the keyword box.   Click add.  Type in either noun or adjective depending on your word.  Then type ok.  In the keyword box, you should now have the word that you just typed.  See pic below:

 

4.  Do this with all of your words.  Click on each word individually, in your property browser click the 3 dots (browser button), click add, type noun or adjective, click ok.  Stop when all of your words outside the boxes have been named.  It’s time for the next step.

5. Now, we get to assign the actual containers (green rectangles in this case.)  Click on one of the rectangles.  I am going to start with my nouns rectangle.  Then, go to the same property browser (control b or view browsers, click on the white piece of paper.)  Scroll down until you see the word containers.  If it’s blue and not open, click the + sign and the container properties will open up.  If this doesn’t happen, make sure you have one of your rectangles selected or clicked.  The pic below shows what your containers property box should look like before you have done anything to it.  

Here are the steps to setting the container. 

Under can contain - click the arrow down to keywords (we are selecting keywords because we gave each of our text a keyword earlier on.)  Remember, the keywords are the words that will determine what our containers or rectangles will accept.  Skip the contain object box.  Click on the browser button (...) next to contain words.  if you have the nouns rectangle clicked, type noun.  If you have the adjectives rectangle clicked type adjective.  The keywords are case sensitive so it’s very important what keywords you gave your text.   If you don’t remember, just click on one of your words and look at the keyword at the top to check. 

For contain rule, leave it set as completely contained.  For reward sound, you can not have a sound and leave it false, but that’s not very fun....lol, so I usually click true.  This gives the students immediate positive feedback.  Next to reward sound locations, click on the browser button (...)

and search for a sound file on your computer.  Leave the last box return if not contained set to false. 

Repeat these steps with the adjective container.  Make sure that next to the contain word section your type adjective.  This is what your container properties box should look like with the information of the noun rectangle container filled out.  See pic below:

 

Now for the last step. 

Click on each of your words.  Make sure your property browser is open and the container properties are showing.  The only thing you are going to click for each of these words is return if not contained.  You are going to click on the arrow and move down to true.  Doing this for each of your words will make them pop back, or spring back to their original location if they are not correct, or not accepted by your containers.  SAVE YOUR FLIPCHART at this point before trying your containers.  Now, they should work.  If they aren’t working, make sure you are in presentation mode. (This is the blue snowflake in the top, right hand corner of your Inspire program.)  if it’s red, that is design mode and the containers will not work in this mode. 

Some reminders:  The rectangles (containers) won’t accept anything bigger than they are, so make sure your text is able to fit within each of the boxes.  I hope this helps make container making easier.  Enjoy!

Please follow my blog so you don't miss out on any ActivInspire tips or tricks along with tons of educational freebies for your classroom.  After following my blog, click on the link below to download this in a handout form!  Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION OF "HOW TO CREATE CONTAINERS."

Detail: How to Create Containers in ActivInspire