UEC
Ultimate Educator Championship
“Where Learning Never Taps Out”
Process: 
Step 1: E xplore the following websites: Online Support - Cheat Sheets, Interactive White Board Tutorials, Online Trainings. On each website, look for a new strategy, design technique or method that you can use to create a lesson that will be so engaging, that it will be solid competition for video games and movies. Create and try out a simple Smart Notebook activity using one of the new strategies or methods.
Step 2: Read over the Smart Notebook Design Cheat Sheet (found below). Within Smart Notebook, try each strategy at least once.
Step 3: Create a Smart Notebook file, consisting of at least three pages, which meets the standards you will teach over the next school quarter. Within the File, use at least one of the design techniques from the Smart Notebook Design Cheat Sheet.
Step 4: Share your Smart Notebook file with a colleague, or an administrator. Ask your colleague to complete the Evaluation rubric for you. Take any critique to improve on your notebook file. Remember the competition you’re up against. You need your notebook to be the best it can be.
Step 5: Use your Smart Notebook file in your classroom. Be amazed that you really can compete with video games and their ilk.
Smart Notebook Design Cheat Sheet
Finding Words Hidden Behind Pictures- Hide vocabulary words, or answers behind a colored picture. Students or teachers can reveal the answers with a blank box or a magnifying glass.
1.)You will need three elements:
a. Picture to hide words behind, in a solid color (ie. A solid red apple)
b. Words written or typed in the same color as the picture (ie. apple)
c. A magnifying glass (found in the gallery), or a box filled with the same color as your background (white if you have not added a colored background)
2.)Once you have the three elements, you must layer them. Click on the arrow on each element and uses the order menu in order to send the elements to the front or to the back.
a. Send the picture “to the back”
b. Send the words “to the front”
c. The magnifying glass (or box filled with the same color as your background) should be in the middle, and shouldn’t need to be moved
3.)Place the words on top of the picture, so that you cannot see them. Use the magnifying glass (or box filled with the same color as your background) to “reveal” the words.
Using a “Magic Tunnel” Color Trick- Make it appear that words, numbers or equations that go through the magic tunnel will show the answers. Students or teachers drag words, numbers, or equations from one color to the next and “find” the answer. Great for input/output boxes, math fast facts, cause and effect elements, vocabulary definitions.
1.)Separate your page in two with a line and fill each side with contrasting colors. (ie. Green and Red)
2.)Type or write the entire equation, vocabulary/definition pair, etc. (ie. 4 + 5 = 9).
3.)Color the words with the contrasting color, so that it will show up on one side, but not on the other. ( ie. 4 + 5 = 9 if the left side is green and the right side red).
4.)Add a “tunnel” or box that is filled in a completely different color (white or black). Using the arrow on the box, go to the order menu and send the box “to the front”. This will allow it to look like words passed “through the tunnel” find the right answer.
Pull a Tab to find the Answer- Pull a tab next to the word, picture or equation to find the definition or the answer.
1.) You will need three elements:
a. The word, picture, or equation that the students will see.
b. The “tab” key or arrow that will be used to pullc. The definition, answer, or what will be seen after the tab is pulled.
2.) Line up the tab and definitions horizontally, with the tab on the right hand side. Group the two elements by highlighting the two elements, clicking on the arrow and using the “group” menu.
3.) Slide these two elements to the left hand side until the answer is hidden off page.
4.) Take the word, picture, or equation and use the arrow to go to the order menu and send it “to the front”. Slide this in front of whatever is still showing of the answer.
5.) When the tab is pulled, it will look as though the answers has come from nowhere.