How to create interactive flipcharts for students - Layering

When creating flipcharts for students you need to remember how important it is for students to actually be able to come to the board and do things themselves.

One of the most important things to understand while trying to achieve this goal is "Layering". ActivInspire flipcharts have 4 layers that can be utilized. You can manipulate which layer pictures, texts, and shapes are on to be able to do whatever you want! My favorite activity that the students love is to have a flipchart where students come up one at a time and pull pictures/information from a "box" and place it where it belongs. If you understand layering this is very easy to do.

Step 1: Create a shape and label it "click here to pull out your item!" Put that box in the lower left corner of the flipchart.

Step 2: Find pictures that go with different categories that students can pull out of the box and place where they belong. As a really simple example, you could find pictures of shapes. Create 3 columns on the flipchart such as: Triangles, Squares, and Circles. When the students drag a shape out of the box, they have to put it in one of the columns.

Step 3: After you find all your shapes, drag them to where your box is in the lower left hand corner.

Step 4: Now the layering comes in. This activity only works if your box covers all the shapes so each one that a student pulls out is a surprise. On the left hand side in the browser window of the ActivInspire software click on the 3rd picture from the left at the top labelled: Object Browser. When you get it open you will see all the different shapes and what layer they were automatically created in. Find the "box" and the text for that box and drag them into the top layer. The box and text should go to the top of all the other shapes.

Step 5: Lock the box and box text by right clicking on it and clicking on "locked".

Now, when you click on the box, the box won't move, but what's underneath will come out when you drag. If you want to have some particular order to what students pull out of the box you can manipulate them in the layering of the Object Browser as well.

Step 6: Create a game! Split the students into two teams (boys vs. girls always works nice!!) and have them come up one at a time and try to get them all right. Feel free to let them ask the audience and phone a friend!

Have fun!!

If you are having trouble, check out this video about layering: