Good and bad news

I had a bit of a disastrous day. Was writing reports on my laptop and a big white screen appeared. It blocked everything. Tried to start in safe mode etc but sadly it didn't work. Some IT help and the news is my laptop is completely gone. Means I've lost so much work as it was all on it. I know I should back up but difficult as we can only back up to school server or encrypted pen drive. Going to be a challenging start to term 4 tomorrow with new child and no laptop and having lost all my work. Also means I've lost all my blogging and tpt resources too. Most gutted about my Scotland unit as I had spent so long on that. I will start backing up tpt work but sadly too late for some of it.

The good news...well something to make the new term more fun. I decided to get my class a pet furby. I remember the days of a class let and whilst rodents are not possible anymore I still wanted something that had feelings and needed looking after. My class are needing to do a lot of work on friendships especially with new child coming so thought this could be a good way in and also be a good motivator. I'm going to do a lot of my writing linked with it and will create a work pack once done. Half thinking about letting it go home with my star of the week at the weekends but haven't quite decided yet.

Stay tuned

Scotland unit

This is my biggest piece of work so far. Doing Scotland in term 3. I liked doing it last year but there were not many resources to use focusing on the geography side so created my own pack. There are lots of pages with information on the different areas in Scotland, coastlines, rivers, cities etc. There is also a workbook to go with it for students to complete after they've finished each section. Click on the picture to go to TPT. 

Map skills unit

Finally completed my map skills unit. This has 15 pages working on compass skills, grid references, using keys and scales. This will go alongside my landscape unit which I will be doing with my kids looking at the landscape in Scotland. Click on the picture below to go to TPT. 

Making inferences - animal homes

Another thing my kids were finding tricky was making inferences. It was more the understanding that their prior knowledge (schema) helps them make the inferences. I've made these cards which show different animal homes. They have to say what animal they think lives in that home and how they know.

e.g. A spider lives in a web because it uses a web to catch flies.

Fact and Opinion

My kids have been finding fact and opinion really difficult. I made these farm animal themed cards to go alongside Charlotte's Web. There are 24 cards with facts and opinions about cows, pigs, horses, sheep and chickens.

Charlotte's Web Inference Cards

I'm having a weekly reading focus. This week was fact and opinion. It worked really well as did some linked to our topic of Charlotte's Web. We made a fab display together showing facts and opinions about spiders and pigs (photo to follow). My next focus is going to be making inferences. As it is something we have not formally done before I decided to make some fun cards which will be the introduction to making inferences from pictures. This will then lead onto making inferences from texts. They are linked to Charlotte's Web by involving the characters but could easily be used out with this topic. Click on the picture to be taken to TPT.

Creating working learning charts

I've recently started making learning charts with my kids to help and record their learning. Some are done in advance of a lesson but some are done with the class too. Useful to then have on the wall so they can refer back to it.

Been spending tonight doing my first activity in preparation for starting diploma at uni in few weeks. Managed to then side track onto looking at how I do my reading groups. I do a different group on each day so I can spend more time with them - tried it first time this year and find it works well but want to make what the other groups do more structures during that time. Will put up resources once I've gone through it more.

Pupil learning record

I want my kids to have a record of what levels they are at and what they need to do to improve. As much as it can't be fun, I at least wanted it to look fun and interesting so made this sheet. I am going to have it in a folder that they can refer to when needed and also that they can add things too. You can click on the picture to download it from TPT.

To do/Reminder page

I'm forever writing to do lists on post it notes and bits of paper as always need to write things down. Decided it was time to make a nicer page to write this down so at least the to do list would look pretty. You can click on the picture to download it.

Real fake word sorting owls

Here are some owls I made for sorting out real and fake words. I laminated them and stuck them on brown paper bags. The kids then had to sort through the real and fake words and put them in the correct bag. I will give them  new words each week for this station. Click on the picture to download it.

We are learning signs

I made these signs as I decided to make use of the flip charts I make in class by having them up on display for the duration of that learning. So I made these signs using some fab clip art from Hazel Owl Graphics. Definitely getting the spring look going. You can click on the picture to download the file.

Transparent backgrounds

I love learning new tricks using tech and this has to be one of my favourites. Head over to http://sssteaching.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/teacher-tech-tip-transparent-background.html?m=1 to find out how to do this...it's so easy!

Charlotte's Web fact or opinion

I've been reading Charlotte's Web with my class. We have been learning about pigs and spiders through the book as well as through other reading tasks. I'm going to look at fact and opinion using pigs and spiders as the stimulus. I've made these little pictures which I will photocopy and cut out. The kids will then write a statement on the pig or spider and it will go on a display either on the fact or opinion side. Ideas like fact: a spider has 8 legs, opinion: a spider is scary.

Scoot nouns linked to Charlotte's Web

Decided to have a shot at making my own Scoot cards. These ones are on nouns but linked to Charlotte's Web. There are some that have to select the noun in a sentence from the book, some to fill in the missing noun and some to name the picture/character. There are 25 cards in total, an answer key and student 1-25 grid to complete.

Positive notes to send home

My kiddies love getting stickers and certificates. I've created a special jotter for one student to send positive notes home to help with some difficulties but I wanted all my kids to enjoy getting positive notes. Having a full class of jotters to write in during the day would be impossible so I decided to make little cards. I wanted something that was easy for me to print and make but would look really special for the kids. I decided just to make little business card size printed cards that I could write a quick note home. I even made a matching box to hang on my wall to keep them in. These are so simple but actually one of my favourite things I've made recently. I printed them double sided so my name is one side and a plain side on the other for writing on.



My little quick positive notes.

Kids blogging

We've had blogs at school for a while now and I love them but they are usually us teachers posting information with or on behalf of the kids. For our Charlotte's Web/ farm building project my class will be using their own blog. I set up a secure blog for just the class and took them through step by step. Always amazes me how well they take these new things on. I then encouraged them to have a play around. Explained that there is nothing they could do that would be a problem as I can edit or delete them. They are enjoying experimenting with them. Shows how their acceptance of new ICT and not being afraid to just have a shot makes such an impact on how well they do. Will hopefully have some examples to share.

I'd love to hear of anyone else using blogs or other social media with your class and how you use it.

Star of the week seat cover

I finally got round to making a new one as my last one got a bit tatty. I'd seen seat covers in a school but bought ones, loved the idea though. Decided to make my one for the star of the week. My kids love it because it has a padded cushion and 2 large pockets. It also has a carry handle and probably most importantly looks good and shows off their star status!

Charlotte's Web character display

Tried to draw big characters but couldn't get sizing right so decided to go vintage and make character posters based on the books illustrations to help emphasise the story being set in the past and not so new like the movie. Word of warning -wear plastic gloves if doing tea staining...my hands are orange now! I'm sure this idea for a display could be applied to loads of other displays with an olden twist or theme.

Charlotte's Web display step 1.

The start of my Charlotte's Web display. Haven't quite decided what I'm putting up next....any ideas?

Number bonds display

I made this a while ago after a child mentioning that number bonds sounded like James Bond. I have to say it's one if my favourite displays especially coming from a simple comment a child made.

Here are two examples of active start station cards that I'm starting with my class. Groups would rotate through the stations during the week in their active start time. I have also made cards for writing, reading and then a general (topic related) one. 

 You can click on the picture to go to google.docs.

A busy weekend making

I have had a busy weekend catching up on my to-do list of things I wanted to make for my kiddies or to organise my classroom. Here are some of the things I've made. You can click on the picture to get the file at google docs. For some reason I can only upload 2 pictures each time so will post them on different posts.

My first blog

I have recently discovered the world of teacher blogs and I'm hooked! Making things for my class and using my computer combines two of my passions so getting to see so many fab ideas, particularly from America, has been a great inspiration. I've decided to try and do my own blog and share some of the things I do as a teacher. Learning this as I go so advice always welcome!

Hope I can share some great ideas as many others have done so for me.

Here is something I was making today. Sentence reminders for some kids who need help to remember the key features when writing a sentence, and also the order. (any bloggers got advice on how to make this a file accessible to you if you wanted it for yourself?)