July 12

Word Safari Spelling Game

Word Safari is a spelling game that has been developed by the website Room 108. Room 108 is a site for Primary school students and includes games, stories and teacher resources.

The great thing about Word Safari is that you can enter your own words, so it can be played with any spelling list and any grade level. Unlike some of the other sites that allow you to enter words, Word Safari creates an actual game, as opposed to an activity like a  find-a-word or hangman.

The aim is to move the little boy up and down, clicking on the letters you need to create your word. Click the wrong letter and you get a cross, when all the crosses are filled the game is over.  Also, if you hit a bird or other animal, one of your balloons pops. Pop all your balloons and the game is over.

I have used this game with students aged 6-12, and they all love it. Great for early finishers during a spelling lesson, as an online homework task, as a group task during literacy groups.

word safari

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June 26

Online Art Tutorials

I love art lessons, and am forever searching for successful art lessons.  You know the ones, where the kids go “Wow!” when you show them what they are going to create, you have the materials readily available and its relatively easy for the class to complete, either using simple but effective techniques or having manageable steps to follow.

There are so many super websites available for art lessons, many that show you a finished product and provide lessons. One of my favourite sites is Artsonia Kds Art Museum, search the gallery to see actual students work.

Lately I have been teaching art lessons using online tutorials and speed videos, and it’s having an AMAZING effect on my 10-12 year olds. Youtube has plenty of these videos, as does Teachertube and ehow. I even do the artwork with the kids, which is a great way to model the trial and error nature of art.

After completing a tutorial from the Tyler’sArtShack Channel on youtube, we emailed Tyler telling him how much we like his work and sent him a link to look at our attempts. What an opportunity – appreciating artworks and communicating directly with the artist! It’s completely changing the way I will approach art teaching, gone are the days of only appreciating the masters. And let’s face it, you just can’t email Van Gogh.

Here is an artwork we used to inspire us before we did our own chalk pastel drawings of a beach.

And here is a video of an artwork that we also tried to create, exploring the technique of making tints and tones of a colour.

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June 6

Spelling Activity Cards

As part of my literacy groups I have a group that works on spelling activities, with their current spelling list.  So what do they do each week? I wanted something fun, engaging, easy to organise, no hours of creating worksheets, simple to mark (if any) and independent.

After trawling the internet and thinking creatively I came up with these Spelling Activity Cards. The group gets the card and equipment, brings their spelling book and Voila! Ready made spelling activity.

There are 42 different activities, most able to be used with classes from Year 1 to 6. At the beginning of the year I use them with the whole class, as a modelling activity. It’s helpful to do this the week before they have to do it independently, especially with younger students.

Here are some images of some of the cards and students completing the different activities.

And here is a link to the actual spelling cards

Spelling Activity Cards

What other ideas do people use to practice spelling?

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May 31

Trialling a new idea… Study Boxes!

I bought these cardboard folded ‘Study Boxes’ (as I call them) from Kangaroo supplies. They have been great at minimising distractions, especially during times of high stress – tests, maths assessment tasks and writing.

There are two options for use, you can nominate to need a Study Box, or I can nominate you to need one. A few boxes scattered around the room can reduce noise and keep a lot of the boys on task.

You could easily make these too, in the past I’ve used two manila folders open on the desk, but these commercially made ones are quite sturdy and hopefully will last me years.

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May 25

Building Confidence versus Saving Trees…

A lot of older students can become harsh critics of themselves when it comes to visual arts. I used to be a ‘one piece of paper only’ teacher, believing that if you let one start again, they all will start again, and that ends up wasting paper. Expensive art paper no doubt. But as a part time artist, how ridiculous! I can recall artworks where I have wasted at least 10 bits of paper before I’m happy with my drawings, sketches, paintings.

I have had several students over the years become so upset at themselves, not being able to produce outstanding, perfect artworks. So I’ve relinquished the position of ‘paper police’, and I let students start again if they want.

So what to do with all those off sheets? Mistake attempts?  If it’s only lead pencil, save them up for balloon painting or sponge painting for book covers. Cut them up and use the reverse for bingo sheets or scrap paper. At least put them in the recycle bin. Then I don’t feel so bad about the wastage. I found a great solution – let students practice the sketch on a small personal whiteboard (PWB) before drawing on the art paper. Art paper saved!

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May 4

Smart Notebook – LESSON ACTIVITY TOOLKIT GUIDE

I don’t know about you, but when I am creating presentations in Smart Notebook I can never remember all the interactive objects in the Lesson Activity Toolkit, and can never remember what they are called to search for them.

Which is why I created this guide!

Lesson activity toolkit reference guide

Keep a copy by your computer and browse through when you need a new learning object.

lesson activity toolkit

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May 4

The Perpetual Puzzle

Something I have always wanted to try with older students is a large 1000 piece puzzle set up somewhere in the room that students could work on throughout the term.

Logistically, it has never worked, space, tidiness, time. But this year I am giving it a go.

How can I use a puzzle with my class?

* Early finishers. TOP TIP – 3 at the puzzle at once MAX!

* Reward time. A quick 5-10 min session at the puzzle to reward specific students throughout the day.

* Chill out time. Someone unsettled, fidgety or moody can have some ‘time out’ at the puzzle.

* Distraction.  If I need to conference a student I may work together with them on the puzzle while we chat. Great way for students to avoid eye contact if they have trouble with face to face conferencing.

Anyone else tried a class puzzle? Any other ideas for implementation?


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April 30

This Week’s Lessons…

1. The day one of your students forgets lunch is the day the canteen will be closed. LESSON – Have a snack bag ready.

2. When you risk it and get to school later than normal, that will will be the morning where everything snowballs. LESSON – Hide in your classroom. Lights off!

3. When you find an AWESOME website (Scholastic’s StudyJams) check that it PLAYS ON A MAC. You have made this mistake before. Home PC = Classroom Mac = Stalling time while class get restless. LESSON – Get to school earlier and check before class!

4. Life education rocks. So many good strategies for engaging students from inside Harold’s Van. If only I had carpet walls…sigh. LESSON – Ideas are everywhere.

5. Another successful engagement tool for boys, using Brain Busters… Make it a competition and Voila! Intense Interaction. LESSON – Make More!

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