Active Learning
Patterns
Use Hot Dots on small pieces of colored construction paper cut in various
shapes and sizes to practice pattern recognition and sequencing. Using
shape blocks or paper shapes, place a pattern of shapes in front of the
child (for example: circle, triangle, circle). Then give the child two shapes:
the correct shape (triangle) with a hot dot on it and an incorrect shape
(circle) with a cold dot on it. Ask him or her to choose the shape that
completes the pattern and then check the choice by touching the dot with
the pen.
Tip: Paint swatches from a hardware
or home improvement store make
great manipulatives.
Find It!
Place Hot Dots on maps for quick geography games. Put a hot dot on a
place you want the child to locate, plus several cold dots on other locations.
For example, play a game of “Find That State.” Choose a state (for example,
Iowa). Place a hot dot on Iowa and cold dots on Ohio, Nebraska, and
Oklahoma. Have the child find Iowa with the pen. This game is much more
challenging if the map does NOT have the names of the states written on
it. Also use Hot Dots on maps to indicate geographical features (island,
peninsula, isthmus) or bodies of water (bay, river, lake).
Interactive Art
Use Hot Dots to make self-expression collages. Have each child look
through magazines, cutting out pictures or words that describe him or
her. Children might choose sports they play, music and movies they like,
favorite pets, interesting hobbies—anything that reflects the things they
feel positive about. Next, have the children cut out pictures and words
that illustrate things they do NOT like such as pollution, certain foods
or colors, fads—anything that they might consider negative. Then have
children create collages with these pictures and words, pasting them onto
construction paper backgrounds. When the collages are complete, have
each child stick hot dots on the “positive” pictures and words and cold
dots on the “negative” pictures and words. Allow children to experience
each other’s collages with the Hot Dots pen, discovering the likes and
dislikes of their friends.
EI-2369
®
How to Use the Hot Dots Stickers
This kit contains one sheet of 150 “hot” Hot Dots stickers and two sheets
of 150 “cold” Hot Dots stickers. The stickers are designed to be used with
Cold Dots Cold Dots
any of Educational Insights Hot Dots pens. The hot dots
make the pen produce fun speech, sounds, or both and a
glowing green light. The cold dots make the pen produce
a glowing red light and simple encouraging words to “try
Cold Dots Hot Dot
s Cold Dots
Hot Dot
s
again,” or sound effects, or both.
Hot Dots are easy to use. Just peel a sticker from the sheet and stick
it anywhere you want Hot Dots learning fun to happen—paper, books,
posters, wall maps, and cards, for example.
How to Use Hot Dots Pens (not included)
The Hot Dots Pens make learning fun by giving instant feedback.
Touch the center of a dot next to a correct answer and a child is
instantly rewarded with a cool phrase, a variety of motivating sounds,
or alternating speech and sounds. Touch an incorrect answer and the
pen gently acknowledges it with encouraging words, different sounds, or
alternating speech and sounds. Plus, the pen glows—GREEN for correct
answers and RED for incorrect answers.
Before using the pen, insert 2 AAA batteries, following the instructions
that come with your pen.
Note: The Hot Dots stickers are
compatible with any Hot Dots pen.
Special Features
The pen plays cool phrases and fun sounds and glows for answer
reinforcement.
Press the 3-position button to select the type of sounds you want
to hear. Press to hear speech, sound effects, or alternating
speech and sound effects.
Press this 3-position button to choose volume level: low, high, or
mute (no sound).
Hot Dot Tips Make-Your-Own Hot Dots Activities
• Make sure you have a hard surface under or behind any picture, It’s fun and easy to create your own hands-on activities for any subject
worksheet, or poster when using the pen on it. The pressure a child (from reading readiness to science) using Hot Dots and the Hot Dots pen.
places on the pen when touching a Hot Dot could poke a hole through
the paper unless it rests on a hard surface. Activity Cards
Create self-checking activity cards in a flash, using index cards and your
• N
 ever laminate OVER Hot Dots. The Hot Dots pen will not Hot Dots. Here’s how:
register Hot Dots when they are covered by film or transparent 1. Write the question or problem on the top of the card and the answer
adhesive paper. choices at the bottom (or on the side).
2. Peel and stick a hot dot next to the correct answer.
Using Hot Dots with Your Own Materials 3. Apply cold dots next to incorrect answer choices.
Create self-checking activities by applying hot and cold Hot
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Dots to any worksheet, activity book, test, poster, book,
or flash card that you may already have. Here are some
suggestions for using Hot Dots with classroom materials:
*
Tests and Quizzes
Use Hot Dots to create self-checking tests. Place hot dots
next to all correct answers and cold dots next to incorrect
answers.
Activity Pages and Worksheets
With Hot Dots, it’s easy to add a self-checking
component to almost any activity page or worksheet. *
Place hot dots next to all correct answers and cold
dots next to incorrect answers. Then have the child
complete the page by marking answers as directed in
the activity (for example: color all the mammals, circle
the correct word, underline the correct sum). When
finished, the child checks his or her work by touching
the Hot Dot next to his or her answer. The pen
instantly indicates if the answer is right or wrong!
Picture Books and Posters
Make any picture book, drawing, poster, or illustration an interactive
learning experience with Hot Dots. Here are some ideas:
• Color Recognition—Place hot dots on all blue pictures and cold dots on
all other pictures. Ask the child to use the pen to touch all dots next
to blue pictures.
• Endangered Species—On an endangered animals poster, place hot
dots on all the mammals and cold dots on animals that aren’t Tip: P
 ictures from old books, magazines, or stickers
mammals. add great visual appeal to Activity Cards.