Random Choosers

Random Choosers sounds nicer than Random Pickers, don't you think? Either way, they are useful tools for calling on students randomly and equally!

Why you might want to use a Random Name or Random Number Chooser:

• When you have a sub, no need to worry about the sub not knowing all of the students' names.
• When you are calling on students and you want the students to be "ready" to be called on at any time- even if their "hand" is not raised.
• When you want to be sure you are not always calling on the same students and you want to be sure everyone gets chosen.
• Fun for students! The students are more attentive to the lesson when they know they might get "chosen" to answer questions!
• Random Number generator may be used when students have a number assigned to them (maybe their number in the gradebook) and they can be called on by number instead of name.

SMART Notebook comes with a Random Word Chooser in the Gallery. You can search the Gallery. Type "random word" (without the quotes)  in the search box. Look at the results in the category Interactive and Multimedia. Drag the Flash Thumbnail image onto a blank page.

To add student names, just click in the boxes and type. (Notice, you do not get a "blinking cursor" in the boxes- just type.) After entering your students' names, be sure to change the "No. of names" box to match exactly how many names you have typed. (So that it doesn't choose a blank space!) Click the "Select" button to choose a student! It has sound, too. If you don't want to call on a student more than once, you may check the box at the bottom, left that says "No repeat." (However, students may notice that after they are picked once, they won't get picked again and may or may not pay attention to the rest of the lesson!)

The SMART Notebook Gallery also has a Random Number generator. (Search for "random number") Set the Min. and Max. numbers to the number of students you have. Click in the box to get a random number. Click on the arrow to "pull" the number out of the box and to your page. (To keep track of who has been called on.)

Here is a site that has a random name chooser tool to use that looks (and sounds) like a Fruit Machine (Slot Machine).



Michelle