App Alert: Borrow Box

This app allows you to download books from your library for free from your home!

I only came across this app lately and it is suitable for students and teachers alike.  I have used it during the summer to download and read some books.

What you need:

A library card Device to download the app

What I like about it:

-It is free! (new books can be expensive) -Saves trips to the library (handy for busy parents) -Option to download 5 books and 5 audio books at a time (I like the audio option for some children who may be reluctant readers or just like to listen to a story sometimes).
-You can select a filter for 'Children' or search a specific title.

It is definitely one I will be recommending to some parents in September who want to encourage their children to read more.

Novel Ideas and Activities

This year, my class did 'Kensuke's Kingdom' as their novel. It was a real hit and here are some ideas that could be used for any class novel.

Design a book cover

Usually I get the children to do this after finishing the novel. It is a nice art activity to do. I download a book cover template on card for them and we discuss the elements of an effective book cover.

Letter to author

Rather than a book review, it can be nicer to use the medium of letter writing to show the author what you liked/disliked about the book. If you do decide to post them, you might be lucky and get a response!

Diary entry

Choose a specific part of the book and a character and ask the children to write a diary entry about what is happening. For Kensuke's Kingdom we used cold teabags to give them an old appearance.

Questions for main character

This can be a fun activity as we are usually the ones asking the questions rather than the children.
   

It can lead on nicely to the next idea:

Hot seat character

Choose a student to assume the role of a character. The other children then question them on various topics that arise in the novel.

News Report

In this, the children could create a news report for a main event in the novel. For example, in Kensuke's Kingdom we created a news report announcing that Michael was missing. The children can also record the news reports incorporating ICT.

Debate

We were doing persuasive writing this term so debating (either written or oral) is a great activity to do with novels. We choose specific points of the novel and debated the various pros and cons.

Chapter Activity Sheets

I designed some activity sheets that I used for some chapters. It includes the strategies of prediction, visualisation, summarising as well as vocabulary and character study.

Create a model/diorama of favourite scene

Another art idea where the children could select a scene from the novel and create a 3D representation or a clay model.

Design a comic strip of favourite scene

Again, a nice art activity. I choose a scene in the book and asked the children to illustrate what each character might be thinking or saying at that particular time.

Create a quiz

A fun way to assess their knowledge of the novel is to get the children to create a quiz. It is also a nice way to peer assess. Why not get the children to use ICT (maybe Powerpoint) to create an interactive quiz?

   



Alter the Ending

The children could write an alternative ending to the story or continue on the story to show what might happen next.

Letter to a character in the future

Imagine the book fasts forwards 10 or 20 years. Write a letter as if you are a character in the book writing to another character.

Create a wordsearch/crossword based on story

This is a nice way to summarise keys words and vocabulary from the novel. A wordsearch may be easier for younger classes or challenge them to create a crossword for their partner.

Character Profile

I gave the children a blank template to draw a character as they imagine them to look like. They also add some adjectives to describe the character and explain why they chose those specific ones.

 

Dramatise/mime a scene

Put the class in groups and assign a part of the novel to each group. They can dramatise it or mime the part while the rest of the class try to figure it out.

Create Movie Music

I asked my children to imagine the novel is being made into a movie. Using instruments or body percussion they create music for a particular scene.

Sense Response

Using a chapter in the book the children created a senses page and listed all the senses that the chapter appealed to. For example the waves crashing may appeal to the sense of hearing and sight.

I hope this gives you some ideas for studying novels. Feel free to comment with some other ideas below.


Here are a few that relate directly to Kensuke's Kingdom:

This was an art lesson inspired by Michael in the cave. The children used oil pastels and black paper for the cave.

  

 The children designed a map of the island based on what they imagined it to be like.

Missing Posters

Maths Station Teaching Ideas

This post is about how I structure and plan Maths Stations for my class.

There are many reasons why I feel station teaching is hugely beneficial to the children. These are just a few:

-more child led than teacher led

-allows me to work with smaller groups and give them more reinforcement or challenge them further

-peer learning 

-a chance to tackle problem solving 

-makes Maths FUN

-chance to use concrete materials 

-ICT can be integrated easily

Image Source

Structure:

Once per week (in an ideal world but not always the case.)

Two Teachers

It is a lot easier to have a second teacher (usually a Learning Support Teacher) to help you but I have done it myself too.

3 x 10 min slot: 

This year I am hoping to do 3 x 10 minute slots on a Friday. (With the emphasis on the Language Curriculum this year, it is hard to find more time to allocate) In the past, I have spent up to 1 hour at station teaching.

Planning

Grouping

This can be mixed ability or by ability depending on your preference and your class.

 This year I have 5 groups of 4/5 children in each.

Stations

I have six stations organised that the children will work at over a two week period (3 per week). Again these change a bit depending on the topic but here is an idea of how I break it up:

1. Teacher Led (Class Teacher)

The children work with me on a topic we are currently working on such as steps to long division. It gives me a chance to see if the children have any difficulties or if they are ready to move on.

2.  ICT

Using iPads/classroom computer, I will set out 2/3 games on a particular website for the children to try. It will be linked to the topic we are covering or developing tables. In September we will be using www.crackingmaths.ie 

3. Card games

This month we will practice multiplication and place value using cards.

4. Problem Solving

Our school invested in these Maths Boxes (4 levels) a few years ago. It also comes with a CD so you can put them on the IWB. 

Image Source

5. Maths Boardgame

Again, we invested in these board games to reinforce maths skills in a fun way.

Image Source

6. Teacher Led (Learning Support) 

The Learning Support Teacher will also work with groups so that each week the children work at a teacher led station and two independent stations.

Maths Week Websites

Maths Week 2015 is about to start (Oct 10-18th)! I have outlined some of my favourite websites to use in the classroom for Maths that might be useful for the upcoming Maths Week .

1. Interactive Sites

This is not only for Maths but it has some great interactive Maths games for the children to practice. It is easy to navigate as it breaks it up into Maths categories. As it is an American site, it isn't too useful for measurement but aside from that, I use it regularly in the classroom.

Image Source

2. Countdown

The senior classes love this They have six numbers and a target number to make using the six numbers and any operations. It is an excellent way to put their tables and mental maths to use!

Image Source

3. Woodlands Maths
This is a firm favourite with many teachers. It also has tools that you can used teaching such as interactive hundred squares.

Image Source

4. Topmarks Maths

My favourite game on this a timed game converting fractions to decimals or vice versa. It can also be used to convert different lengths. It is a good assessment tool to see if children can convert them quickly.

Image Source

5. ixl.com

What I like about this site is that you can select your class level and particular skill/topic that you are teaching. It does have a daily limit of the amount of tasks you can complete but can be a useful early finisher activity.

Have a look at the official Maths Week Website here for more ideas.