Tips Archive » Using Technology » Equipment

• Overhead Projectors (13 tips)
• Digital Cameras (4 tips)
• Video Cassette Recorders (4 tips)
• Computer Equipment (2 tips)
• Televisions (1 tip)
• Staying Organized (3 tips)

Overhead Projectors

Organize With Overhead Transparencies

From Alice Tarr, a seventh grade reading teacher at Silver Lake Regional Junior High School in Pembroke, Massachusetts:

"I have eight different classes in a two day cycle and sometimes found it a burden to manage make up work for absent students. Now I put work on overhead transparencies so I can hand the appropriate transparency to a student to copy when he/she returns from an absence. This way the student gets the work without interrupting the rest of the class. Last year I stored all my transparency assignments in a notebook. Now, as I teach a particular topic, I can use some of my original assignments that I've revised to suit this year's classes. The transparency is very easy to erase and edit. I've also found that tests can be done in the same way with the added benefit of saving on expensive photocopy paper."

Overhead Sentences

From Maggie Harder, an English as a second language teacher for Harnett County Schools in Lillington, North Carolina:

"I use the overhead to have students arrange words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs. I type the words on the computer using a large font, print them on a transparency and then cut up the sentences. When students are able to move the words around on the overhead and the class can see what's going on, they pay attention. Sentence strips can be used in the same manner. To modify for younger students, one could use letters to make words or show a picture and have the students give the correct word."

Overhead Tip

From Diane Gormly, a reading teacher at Dover Middle School in Dover, New Hampshire:

"Here is a tip any grade level teacher can use. Do you find you are out of those expensive overhead projector sheets when you really need one? A clear sheet protector works well in a pinch."

Avoiding Ghosts

From Judi Schiff, a third grade teacher at Randolph Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia:

"Write on excess laminating film, paper-clipped over printed overhead transparencies, instead of writing on the transparency itself. No more washing transparencies and especially, no more ghost writing where you used purple!"

Preventing Whiteboard and Overhead Mistakes

From Carol Jacobs, a primary special education teacher in East Ramapo School District:

"A way to prevent accidentally using a permanent marker on a whiteboard or transparency is to create a tactile reminder. I wrap some masking tape around the permanent marker. If a mistake still occurs, the marker comes off with Goo-Gone or a similar product used to remove stickers and labels. Fantastic and hair spray also do the trick. With the proper markers, an easy way to clean used transparencies is to just run them under the faucet."

Writing on Overheads

From Jami Weber, a third grade teacher at Jonathan Elementary in Chaska, Minnesota:

"I use my overhead a lot and found that writing directly on the sheets stains them so I put blank transparencies on top of the preprinted ones. This way, I can put the preprinted transparencies right back in my file and save the cleaning until later. This works great when I'm demonstrating how to write something on notebook paper. I have a permanent transparency of notebook paper and when I need to turn the page, I just take off the old blank sheet and put on another."

Permanent Grids

From anonymous:

"I make a grid with permanent marker on a transparency. I place a clean transparency over it and complete the graph as if it were on one sheet. When I'm finished, I just put another clean sheet on top and start again. Graphs on the overhead have never been easier and the work can be repeated quickly for students who missed it the first time."

A Left Handed Solution

From Andrew Mitchell, a ninth grade math teacher at Thomas Middle School in Webster, New York:

"I am left handed so I used to end each day with an enormous black and blue smudge down my hand from writing on the overhead projector. I no longer have this problem since I started leaving a lightweight work glove next to my projector. Whenever I start notes with my students, I put on the glove. It looked pretty silly the first day or two, but we just laughed about my appearance and now even my students will put on the glove when they write at the overhead."

Organized Overhead Sheets

From Elaine Kelley, a fourth grade teacher at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School in Navarre, Florida:

"At a recent workshop, the presenter had all of her overhead sheets in plastic covers. She could write on the cover rather than directly on the transparency and the covers had three holes so they could be stored in a binder. I've just finished putting mine in plastic covers and into a notebook with subject dividers."

Overhead Grids

From Linda Steinke, a fifth and sixth grade teacher at Coralwood Adventist Academy in Millet, Alberta, Canada:

"I used to use overhead grids and do sample graphing directly on the overhead but I had to constantly clean the transparencies or throw them away. Now I found out that I can project the overhead on to a green or white board, work directly on the board and then simply erase the board. I make sure that the stand is free from being accidentally bumped by students. This method makes it so easy for students to participate in the graphing."

Overhead Transparencies

From Janet Popieski, a sixth and seventh grade mathematics teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"Do not throw away the large scraps left after trimming posters that have been laminated. The trimmings can be used as overhead transparencies."

Fly-away Overheads

From Cindy Garwick, advisor to the Kansas-NEA student program at Kansas State University, Kansas:

"At a recent training in Manhattan, Kansas, I observed the presenter Peg Dunlap (staff from Kansas-NEA) using a cover sheet while showing a transparency overhead. The cover sheet had three pennies taped near the top of the sheet. She said that way your cover sheet won't get blown away by the breeze from the projector's fan."

Reusing Transparencies

From Suzanna Shazley, a sixth grade teacher (among other things) at Bunker Middle School in Muskegon, Michigan:

"When using the same overhead material for several classes, I use a blank sheet on top of the original to write answers. That way I won't have to rewrite the original."

Digital Cameras

Picture Stories

From Janet Shlegle, a special education teacher at Loveville School in Lovelille, Maryland:

"I take digital photos of things going on around our school. I print a copy for our photo wall but I also insert the photo in a Word document and save the file with the names of the students in the picture and the date. Students can open them easily by finding their name or their friend's name in the file name. Once open, students can write a sentence or story about the picture and print it. I pre-format the Word document with a large size font so it's ready to go. Children sometimes type random letters but they can read their story because the picture reminds them. Other students prefer to dictate a story to a buddy, volunteer or a teacher. Often children will see a picture on the photo wall and ask a staff member to help them bring it up on the computer."

Using Digital Cameras for Assessment

From Kathryn Pace, a tenth through twelfth grade child development teacher at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland:

"As my students teach preschoolers, I have a team of student observers use our digital camera to capture specific examples of appropriate and inappropriate teaching practices. I then import the photos into a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. As a class, we debrief during our weekly seminars. Students see themselves as others see them while they teach. Since their peers choose the shots, the observers have a hands on synthesis of good teaching practices and the student teachers feel a friendly competition to do their best work. I have noticed a dramatic difference in my students' work since I started this and the kids love it!"

Digital Pictures

From Carol Johnston, a third grade teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"At the beginning of each school year I take a single digital picture of each child and save it to disk. Throughout the year I use Picture-it 2.0 to make many projects. For example, we make framed birthday pictures, note cards for parents' gifts, calendars, and autobiographies. I can use the digital pictures over and over. It saves on film and the cost to develop the pictures."

Digital Library

From Barbara Howley, a teacher in Perry, Ohio:

"I've found that the digital camera is a wonderful classroom tool. Since I use it frequently, I found a solution to scanning through the disks to find just the picture that I want. I created a template in Print Shop, which shows each picture on the disk. Then I print out the pictures and store them in a loose-leaf binder. I put each page in a vinyl sleeve and put the disk in with it. That way, when we want a particular picture, we can search the notebook instead of the disk. It saves a lot of time."

Video Cassette Recorders

Annual Class Album

From Tisha Talikka, a teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"At the beginning of each school year, I request a blank video tape to be sent to school along with the typical school supplies. Once a week, a parent volunteer videotapes each child reading a book of choice onto the child's personal tape for approximately three minutes. In addition, I take digital pictures of our activities throughout the year. I put these pictures to music and download them on all the children's tapes to be taken home on the last day of school. It's essentially a class album of their entire school year. The students love having their pictures taken and the parents enjoy having a window into their child's classroom. It's amazing to see how much each child grows and to rediscover all the activities that have been packed into one program."

Video Autobiography

From Thomas B. Chew, Jr., a media coordinator/TV production instructor at Perry High School in Perry, Ohio:

"Each of my students creates a video autobiography. I've used this activity with all ages from elementary to high schoolers. I use a VCR, TV/monitor, macro camera, and an audio cassette or CD player. All students gather material to include in their videotapes, including photos, awards, dolls/stuffed animals, and other 3-D items. Students organize these materials into a logical sequence. It could be pre-school days, elementary years, life in middle school, etc. The taping procedure includes placing pictures or items under the macro camera and taping them for 3 or 4 seconds. Afterward, we add music and other audio by dubbing it with the cassette or CD player. We add titles by videotaping hand-drawn or computer-generated hard copies with the macro camera. Schools with more elaborate editing equipment can create more elaborate projects. This is a wonderful activity for students to learn more about their families and for the teacher to get a tremendous insight into students' lives."

Movie Night

From Erin Conley, a second grade inclusion teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"I add a blank tape to my list of supplies at the beginning of the year. The students and I use a digital camera to take pictures of classroom activities all year. We use Photo Studio software to download the pictures to videotape and can even put music to accompany these pictures. Our year ends with a class movie night. Parents and students come view our class memory tape. Everyone enjoys the tape tremendously. I make individual copies on the blank tapes students brought in at the beginning of the year so all students have their own copies. It is a wonderful way to capture and celebrate student accomplishments."

VCRs on AV Carts

From Jim Neal, a library media specialist and grant writer at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Missouri:

"I use Velcro strips about six inches long to attach VCRs to AV carts. I cut the strips (stuck face-to-face) as long as the VCR case allows. I take off one of the backing strips and carefully attach it to the bottom of the VCR, being careful not to cover any vents. Then I take the other strip off and carefully place the VCR on the AV cart where I want it. The Velcro holds the VCR in place. We haven't had one bounce off a cart since we have been doing this. You do have to pry the VCR off the cart if you want to move it once you get it placed!"

Computer Equipment

Paper Holders

From Marilyn LaPorte, a computer literacy and earth science teacher at Merrill Middle School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin:

"Instead of purchasing expensive racks to hold students' papers while they type, I use the wire book stands that are sold for school libraries. They can hold paper fine and are about one third of the cost."

Enlarged Mousepads

From NancyLynn Sharpless, a technology education teacher at Tappan Middle School in Michigan:

"Some students have trouble staying on the mousepad. I purchased a large piece of fleeced mat board from a frame shop in the same color as my computer cart work surface. I glued it to the work surface and sealed the edges to keep it from fraying. All my students find this computer the best to use."

Televisions

TV Generation

From Marty Charters, a fifth grade teacher at Fairfield Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia:

"With today's kids spending more time in front of the TV than ever before, I have decided, 'If I can't beat em', join em'.' Through the uses of technology I use my classroom computer to take notes with the students. As I type in the information, it is projected onto the TV screen. When I would traditionally turn to the chalkboard to write, I now turn to my computer. The kids love it. I can change font, size, bold print, or underline to emphasize important parts of the lesson, and I can change colors to add fun to the task of note taking. What is best of all is that I can print out these notes when we're done and give them to any students who are having trouble keeping up or any students that were absent and didn't get the notes. The kids are drawn to the TV. Why not use it as a tool for learning instead of just an "idiot box"?"

Staying Organized

Computer Class Organization

From Suz Stockton, a business education teacher in Muscle Shoals, Alabama:

"A computer lab can get cluttered in a hurry so I assign a Row Manager each day for each row of computers in the room. At the end of the period, this student is responsible for reminding other students to stay organized. The Row Managers get a small checklist of cleanup items.

1. Computers logged off.
2. Disks put away.
3. Paper off the floor.
4. Paper off the computer areas.
5. No books, pens, etc. left out.
6. All chairs pushed in.

The Row Manager leaves the checklist at the end of the row so that I can take a quick walk down the isles, collect the checklists and evaluate the clean up. Students get an extra credit point added to their grade for completing all the items on the list and I have a neat and organized classroom for the beginning of the next class."

Storing Floppy Disks

From Staci Bufkin, a computer educator at Kennedy Montessori Elementary in Louisville, Kentucky:

"My school has recently gone to computerized card catalogs. This left the old card catalogs without use and sitting in a closet. These card catalogs work perfectly for storing 3 " floppies in the computer lab. Other teachers are grabbing up the rest to use for storage in their classrooms."

Keeping Up with Equipment

From Kathy Kreidler, a chemistry teacher and department chair at Thornridge High School in Dolton, Illinois:

"Before setting out equipment on the supply table, I put down a piece of newsprint. I outline each piece so that at the end of the period, I can see at a glance if anything is missing."