Smore
A Web 2.0 Tool for the Classroom
Why Use Smore?
* Multimedia format increases student engagement in assignments
* Satisfies KY state mandates to include technology in school curriculum
* Provides an opportunity to teach responsible digital citizenship
* Easy storage and access to student assignments for teachers
* Enables teachers and students to share student work with the community
* Teachers can easily adapt current assignments to Smore format
* Allows students to utilize a practical and "real world" tool to share ideas and info.
* Visually appealing and fun to read
Program Background and Features
Smore is a relatively new Web 2.0 Tool that allows users to quickly and effectively create online multimedia flyers. Media that can be utilized in the program includes photo images, graphics, video, text, and tweets. Once the user has created a flyer, he or she can share it electronically via text message, blog, Facebook, email, Twitter, or URL. Although these flyers have been traditionally used to share information or to advertise a particular business, product, or event, many teachers are adapting the free tool for use in their classroom. Teachers have used Smore to enhance learning in their classroom in a variety of ways. The most popular ways the program has been utilized is to create advertisements to spread the word about an upcoming school or classroom event or to have students create “infographics” to demonstrate and display what they have learned over a unit of study. The flyers have then been shared electronically via methods described above. If the flyer was created by a student as a summative or formative assessment, many teachers have chosen to require students to present their Smores via live classroom presentations.
Getting Started
ACCOUNT SET UP
1. Using your computer's web browser, type in and visit the following website:2. In the upper right corner of your computer screen, click "Log In".
3. From the drop down menu, click "No Account? Sign Up".
4. Next, choose the option "Sign up without Facebook". (This option is best for the school environment, as Facebook is usually blocked on school networks.)
5. Complete and fill in the required fields and then click "Sign Up". Congratulations! You now have an account! Students can follow these same steps to set up their own accounts. It is recommended to limit students to providing their last initial only instead of their entire last name to protect their identities.
CREATING A FLYER
1. Click the large orange button labeled "Start a New Flyer".
2. Select the style and purpose (ex. event, class, etc.) of your flyer from the menu provided by clicking on an icon. This action will determine what preset template Smore will provide for you.
3. Click inside the "Title" field and type in your desired title.
4. Click inside other fields pre-set through the template you chose to complete more actions such as entering photos, adding textual information, etc. When you are finished entering information and material in any particular field, click the gray "Done" button in the bottom right corner of each field.
5. If you wish to add a field not currently included within the template displayed, simply scroll to the bottom of the webpage. Under the "Add More Stuff to Your Flyer" section, click on the icon that represents the feature you would like to add to your flyer. Options include text, picture, audio, video, forms, weblinks, etc.
6. Smore will then create a field for you to create the feature you chose similar to those in the original template. If you wish to move the feature to a different placement on your flyer, you may click and drag it into a different position.
7. When you are finished working on your Smore flyer for a given time period, scroll to the top of the page and click the dark gray "Save Now" button.
8. Next, click the dark gray button just above it titled "Done Editing" or "Update Page". This will publish your work for others to see online.
9. Be sure to close your editing session by clicking the "You" button from the main menu bar at top, and then selecting "Log Out" from the drop down menu before you leave your computer.
10. When you wish to revisit and edit your flyer later, simply revisit the same webpage and "log in" as you did before. Click "View My Flyers" in the upper right corner, and then on the thumbnail version of the Smore flyer you wish to edit.
11. Click the dark gray "Edit Your Flyer" button at the upper right hand corner. Select the fields you wish to edit and have fun creating!
12. When you are finished with the content of your Smore flyer, be sure to personalize and polish up your flyer by utilizing the "Design" feature of the Web 2.0 tool by choosing a design set, background image, color scheme, and font style from the right tool bar menu located to the right of your Smore flyer content.
Support and Assistance
Picture and Video Sources