Teacher Organisation and Resource Management
Recently, I posted about Thematic Teaching, and got lots of requests for a post about classroom organisation and managing resources. When I was doing my Dip, I kept lots of my resources (for classroom displays, teaching themes, general classroom resources, assessments I did, etc) either on a USB or physically, in folders. I found this great, as it meant that as I was spending so much time and effort (and money!) on making and sourcing the resources, I would have them for a long time after. I spent time and money printing in colour, laminating and storing the resources, and, so far, they have stood the test of time (and two school moves since!!!)
I thought about doing a video, but then remembered that the sound of my own voice drives me insane! So I decided to just photograph most of my resources and how I have them organised and explain them this way :)
Here's where I store the majority of my resources. It is basically an old wardrobe that I had modified, by our amazing friend Seán. He removed the hanging rail, then I got the rack and rollers in Ikea and he used shelving to make the other sections. I stuck some decals on the outside to make it more interesting looking! But I'm thinking of taking them off and painting them, so any suggestions are welcome :)
I thought about doing a video, but then remembered that the sound of my own voice drives me insane! So I decided to just photograph most of my resources and how I have them organised and explain them this way :)
Here's where I store the majority of my resources. It is basically an old wardrobe that I had modified, by our amazing friend Seán. He removed the hanging rail, then I got the rack and rollers in Ikea and he used shelving to make the other sections. I stuck some decals on the outside to make it more interesting looking! But I'm thinking of taking them off and painting them, so any suggestions are welcome :)
So on the shelves (in the folders) I have old long-term plans and some documentation I had from working in other schools. I'm hanging onto them for another while, just in case they are needed. Even though I am permanent and have no intention of ever needing them again, I will err on the side of caution as regard paperwork.
On the racks, I have some miscellaneous things stored - mostly things that don't fit in folders or tubs! So, story dice, big wooden letters, some Christmas decorations.
And then in the bottom section, I have a big box (The Box!) which is full of all my resources. I had it more organised (into subjects and topics), but when I changed schools in September, they were all moved around during the actual move and I haven't gotten around to sorting them out again. It's on a never-ending list!!
As you can see, I have everything in it's own folder, and it is labeled. I have worksheets, flashcards, pictures, display items, everything and anything to do with the topic. If I start a new topic, I make a new folder and store everything there. Then, when I re-teach the topic, or revise it, I simply go to 'The Box' (!) and find the folder and I have all the resources at my fingertips! It might seem like I'm a really organised freak. I can assure you - I'm not. I do like organisation, but this doesn't take much effort. The initial set up might take some time, but once done, it's done forever and you can just add to it as you go on. I can promise you, it will make things much more efficient. I hate to think that if I go to the effort of making and designing a display with flashcards, pictures, banners, etc, that I just use it once and if I don't mind it, that's the only use it gets. This way, everything is stored correctly and safely and can be re-used time and time again.
On the racks, I have some miscellaneous things stored - mostly things that don't fit in folders or tubs! So, story dice, big wooden letters, some Christmas decorations.
And then in the bottom section, I have a big box (The Box!) which is full of all my resources. I had it more organised (into subjects and topics), but when I changed schools in September, they were all moved around during the actual move and I haven't gotten around to sorting them out again. It's on a never-ending list!!
As you can see, I have everything in it's own folder, and it is labeled. I have worksheets, flashcards, pictures, display items, everything and anything to do with the topic. If I start a new topic, I make a new folder and store everything there. Then, when I re-teach the topic, or revise it, I simply go to 'The Box' (!) and find the folder and I have all the resources at my fingertips! It might seem like I'm a really organised freak. I can assure you - I'm not. I do like organisation, but this doesn't take much effort. The initial set up might take some time, but once done, it's done forever and you can just add to it as you go on. I can promise you, it will make things much more efficient. I hate to think that if I go to the effort of making and designing a display with flashcards, pictures, banners, etc, that I just use it once and if I don't mind it, that's the only use it gets. This way, everything is stored correctly and safely and can be re-used time and time again.
This year, because my new school do not use any children's textbooks, we make and create all our own worksheets and resources. I am hoping to teach First Class again next year (that is usually what happens in my school!) so I have an accordion-style folder to save worksheets for each month. Obviously, if I do teach First Class next year, it will make things a lot easier, as I will have the worksheets already. Long term plans would stay similar enough - bar a couple of changes, so it would be much the same worksheets/resources, thus saving me time and energy next year. It's something I'd like to have eventually for every class I teach. It would be a great bank of resources to pull from, so that's what my plan is! :) I read somewhere before - it's not about working harder, it's about working smarter.
In order to make worksheets and to create lesson resources, I use a selection of teacher books, some sample books from publishers, some internet ones (TeachersPayTeachers, twinkl, Teacher's Pet, PrimaryResources, etc are all great sites) I have lots of books stored in magazine files in the classroom to help me source them easily.
I store any bigger posters and displays in these huge folders. They are so handy, and cost very little. I think Easons sell the clear plastic ones, and I got the other bigger, coloured ones in Stakelum's Office Supplies in Thurles. I know they do delivery if anybody is looking for them - or else I'm sure if you asked your local office supplies shop, they would get them for you! They keep big posters flat and prevent them from getting wrecked! I often see teachers rolling up posters - personally I hate un-rolling them, so this way works for me :) Again, I have them organised and labeled - everything is easily found.
Finally, I have some more resources stored in these beautiful Ikea boxes. I bought them in loads of colours and they really brighten up the classroom. I have some shelves in the classroom, and they fit perfectly on them, and they are great for storing extra copies, games, jigsaws, planning and assessment folders, supplies needed for Maths Recovery or Literacy Daily 5, children's folders, reading books, Art supplies, etc.
They are great if you are limited on storage space in the classroom. Last year, I had very little, so I got these Ikea cubby-holes. Everybody admired them when they came into my room - they were a big hit! The photographs I took in my own classroom didn't turn out great, so here's some I took from Google to show you the idea :)
I try (most days in vain!) to keep my desk tidy - probably like a lot of you! I found this little letter tray super - got it in Dealz for very cheap and it makes life easier. Now, my desk is still pretty untidy, but this has definitely lessened the mess! I store the copies and worksheets to be corrected in the top shelf - the children know to put their completed work in there. The middle shelf, I use for worksheets, paperwork, etc that I need to file. And then the bottom tray, I have all the worksheets I need for the day copied and in bundles.
There you have it - a look inside my 'kind of organised' classroom! I do try keep it organised. I wouldn't say I'm OCD or I don't stress if it gets messy or isn't perfect. I don't think any classroom is neat and tidy and 'perfect' all the time! But I do think organising resources, materials and worksheets can save you in the long run. It will save you time, money and probably stress! I love the fact that I can re-use materials. I often have lovely memories of teaching certain lessons and certain children spring to mind - which is really nice too :) Give it a go, you might surprise yourself!
As always, any further questions or comments, please feel free to ask. I'm only too happy to help :) x
As always, any further questions or comments, please feel free to ask. I'm only too happy to help :) x
December Teaching Themes (Christmas)
It's the most magical time of the year! And when you work with children, the magic only intesifies. They really do make it all the more special! I love Christmas and I love teaching the theme of Christmas, but I try and wait until December before introducing the C word (Christmas, that is!!) as otherwise, it can drag out for so long! Most of my teaching over the next month will be based on the theme of Christmas, so I thought I'd share some of my ideas with you, and maybe give you some lesson inspiration! :)
Literacy
There are lots of opportunities for integration with Literacy at this time of year. You could include almost all genres of writing, lots of oral language activities and reading.
Oral Language - Poetry examples can be found here - a pretty comprehensive list! And this leads well into other language activities based on the poems too. I find developing the language around the topic you're covering is hugely important, so I love these little word mats for some picture/word recognition. I find it helps the children with their language skills, but also, when it comes to writing, they have help with spelling :) The first two below are from Teachers Pet, which is a great website for resources. I also like using Communication4All, which has lots of Christmas-related resources online at the moment.
There are lots of opportunities for integration with Literacy at this time of year. You could include almost all genres of writing, lots of oral language activities and reading.
Oral Language - Poetry examples can be found here - a pretty comprehensive list! And this leads well into other language activities based on the poems too. I find developing the language around the topic you're covering is hugely important, so I love these little word mats for some picture/word recognition. I find it helps the children with their language skills, but also, when it comes to writing, they have help with spelling :) The first two below are from Teachers Pet, which is a great website for resources. I also like using Communication4All, which has lots of Christmas-related resources online at the moment.
Reading - There's lots of online examples here, that could be printed and made into a little story book. My children love StoryTime Online and there's some lovely cartoons on YouTube that could be used here as a 'Listening and Responding' activity. Sometimes you can't beat a real book! And these are some examples that I like :)
And again, depending on the stories you decide to do, there are lots of Literacy activties that can be done to integrate the theme and the subject matter.
Writing - again, so many options here, so I thought I would give an example for each genre of writing to help get your creative juices flowing! Obviously, not all of these will be suitable for your class level, but you might get some ideas from what I have below:
Narrative: Creative writing - 'The night I met Santa'
Procedural: Instructional writing - 'How to have the perfect Christmas'
Explanatory: Link to SESE - 'Christmas in the past'
Report: Again, link to SESE - 'Christmas in other countries'
Recount: Past tense - 'My Christmas Holidays' - to be done after Christmas
Persuasive: Debate/Argument - 'Why Blitzen should be the head reindeer on Santa's sleigh'
This format is from the First Steps Writing programme - it is becoming very common in Irish classrooms as a method of teaching Writing. If you would like to know more, please just ask. Here's a link to more information: http://www.pdst.ie/node/314
Here are also some nice writing sample templates and other Literacy ideas I found online that might be of use to you :)
Writing - again, so many options here, so I thought I would give an example for each genre of writing to help get your creative juices flowing! Obviously, not all of these will be suitable for your class level, but you might get some ideas from what I have below:
Narrative: Creative writing - 'The night I met Santa'
Procedural: Instructional writing - 'How to have the perfect Christmas'
Explanatory: Link to SESE - 'Christmas in the past'
Report: Again, link to SESE - 'Christmas in other countries'
Recount: Past tense - 'My Christmas Holidays' - to be done after Christmas
Persuasive: Debate/Argument - 'Why Blitzen should be the head reindeer on Santa's sleigh'
This format is from the First Steps Writing programme - it is becoming very common in Irish classrooms as a method of teaching Writing. If you would like to know more, please just ask. Here's a link to more information: http://www.pdst.ie/node/314
Here are also some nice writing sample templates and other Literacy ideas I found online that might be of use to you :)
Art
So, as you can see, there are so many ways to link Christmas with Literacy. Now for some Art ideas, because you probably all know at this stage how much I love teaching Art! I just think it's such a nice way for children to express themselves, and often children who find school tough, find Art very relaxing and therapeutic, which is probably why I love teaching it so much!
There are so many lovely Art ideas for Christmas. I really love making decorations for the tree or for the house, or even making cards. This year, my class are taking part in Creativity in the Classroom, so I won't get to do much of my own Art ideas, which is a pity, but I know whatever they do with Creativity will be amazing!
Here is a selection of ideas I found online that I think would be nice this December:
So, as you can see, there are so many ways to link Christmas with Literacy. Now for some Art ideas, because you probably all know at this stage how much I love teaching Art! I just think it's such a nice way for children to express themselves, and often children who find school tough, find Art very relaxing and therapeutic, which is probably why I love teaching it so much!
There are so many lovely Art ideas for Christmas. I really love making decorations for the tree or for the house, or even making cards. This year, my class are taking part in Creativity in the Classroom, so I won't get to do much of my own Art ideas, which is a pity, but I know whatever they do with Creativity will be amazing!
Here is a selection of ideas I found online that I think would be nice this December:
I did the lollipop stick tree decorations a couple of years back and they turned out amazingly well. They took a while to do, but it was worth it! Last year, my children were great with paper, and they made lots of the construction stars pictured above to decorate the classroom.
I did this 'Christmas tree' on my door last year and it was such a hit! I think I'll do it this year again, if I get the time :)
I did this 'Christmas tree' on my door last year and it was such a hit! I think I'll do it this year again, if I get the time :)
SESE
As always, when teaching about a tradition, like Christmas, it is nice to look at how people celebrate in other countries, which links really nicely to SESE. I loved working with my 5th class last year, which was a very multi-cultural class, and finding out about the traditions from their home countries, or countries they were linked with.
This website would be nice for an older class - great opportunity for project work here too and could be done individually, in pairs, or in small groups! There's lots of information that could be condensed to make a nice lesson for younger classes too.
This video is lovely and would be great for senior classes, as they could read as they go!
As always, when teaching about a tradition, like Christmas, it is nice to look at how people celebrate in other countries, which links really nicely to SESE. I loved working with my 5th class last year, which was a very multi-cultural class, and finding out about the traditions from their home countries, or countries they were linked with.
This website would be nice for an older class - great opportunity for project work here too and could be done individually, in pairs, or in small groups! There's lots of information that could be condensed to make a nice lesson for younger classes too.
This video is lovely and would be great for senior classes, as they could read as they go!
It can also be nice to look back on how Christmas was celebrated in Ireland in the past. Some of the traditional Christmas could be brought into the classroom for an authentic old Irish Christmas - the Advent wreath, the candle in the window, holly wreath on the door, the Christmas crib, Christmas pudding, etc.
Gaeilge
As always, Seomra Ranga is my 'go-to' for Irish resources. Here's a link to their Christmas site - http://nollaigshona.ie/
They also have some Gaeilge resources on this page: http://nollaigshona.ie/?s=gaeilge
Twinkl have recently started doing translated versions of their resources - Have a look HERE
Here's some that are available and based on the Christmas theme:
Christmas banner - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-036-new-christmas-greetings-singular-banner-gaeilge
Acrostic poem - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi2-t-008-new-christmas-acrostic-poem-template-gaeilge
Dictionary work - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-032-new-christmas-dictionary-work-colouring-sheets-gaeilge
Read and draw activity - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-031-new-christmas-read-and-draw-activity-sheets-gaeilge
Colouring sheets (Could be enlarged and made into posters!) - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-t-8871-new-christmas-words-colouring-sheets-gaeilge
I spy - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-054-new-irish-christmas-i-spy-activity-sheet
Christmas card template - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-052-new-irish-christmas-card-templates
Drama
The Christmas concert is usually the highlight of the year for the children. Personally, I dread it!! It takes so much organisation and stress, that eventually I just can't wait for them to be over!!!! But, hey, each to their own!
Here's a selection of FREE Christmas concerts that are available online, and they may be of some use to you or your colleagues :)
There's also a list of hints and tips for organising the Christmas concert, which again, may be of use to people!
And just for a laugh - here's how you'll look while your little darlings take to the stage!!!! https://www.facebook.com/IctWithMrP/videos/545908488906041/
Whatever you decide to do this December, enjoy it! This year is the first year in a long time that I'm with a really young class. I can see the magic and the excitement, and I can really feel it too :) I feel like this December and this Christmas will be a fantastic one :)
Nollaig Shona Duit x
Gaeilge
As always, Seomra Ranga is my 'go-to' for Irish resources. Here's a link to their Christmas site - http://nollaigshona.ie/
They also have some Gaeilge resources on this page: http://nollaigshona.ie/?s=gaeilge
Twinkl have recently started doing translated versions of their resources - Have a look HERE
Here's some that are available and based on the Christmas theme:
Christmas banner - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-036-new-christmas-greetings-singular-banner-gaeilge
Acrostic poem - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi2-t-008-new-christmas-acrostic-poem-template-gaeilge
Dictionary work - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-032-new-christmas-dictionary-work-colouring-sheets-gaeilge
Read and draw activity - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-031-new-christmas-read-and-draw-activity-sheets-gaeilge
Colouring sheets (Could be enlarged and made into posters!) - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-t-8871-new-christmas-words-colouring-sheets-gaeilge
I spy - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-054-new-irish-christmas-i-spy-activity-sheet
Christmas card template - http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/roi-t-052-new-irish-christmas-card-templates
Drama
The Christmas concert is usually the highlight of the year for the children. Personally, I dread it!! It takes so much organisation and stress, that eventually I just can't wait for them to be over!!!! But, hey, each to their own!
Here's a selection of FREE Christmas concerts that are available online, and they may be of some use to you or your colleagues :)
There's also a list of hints and tips for organising the Christmas concert, which again, may be of use to people!
And just for a laugh - here's how you'll look while your little darlings take to the stage!!!! https://www.facebook.com/IctWithMrP/videos/545908488906041/
Whatever you decide to do this December, enjoy it! This year is the first year in a long time that I'm with a really young class. I can see the magic and the excitement, and I can really feel it too :) I feel like this December and this Christmas will be a fantastic one :)
Nollaig Shona Duit x
November Teaching Themes
I thought I would very briefly go through what I'm planning on teaching during the month of November. I know December will be packed with lots of Christmas themed ideas, so I will do a post about that nearer the time (similar to what I did with Halloween)
Weather and the story of Noah's Ark
Continuing on from last month, we are focusing on weather - when are we not in Ireland!!! So if you scroll further down this page, you will find some more teaching ideas on weather. I will link some English writing lessons to weather with procedural texts - 'How to make ice' and 'How to spend a rainy day'. This will begin with modelled writing, and the children will progress to free writing after that, some using a template to assist them. I will also include the story of Noah's Ark in this thematic area, as I find it links quite well, with flooding and all the problems it causes, and it leads nicely into some topics I will cover in the future - animals, counting in twos, etc. There are some lovely ideas to do with Noah's Ark on Pinterest , if you click the following links:
https://www.pinterest.com/paolap/noah-s-ark-theme/
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/noahs-ark-craft/
https://www.pinterest.com/esl52/noahs-ark/
Noah's Ark is a lovely theme to do with this age group (I have first class) They love the story, and linking it to other subjects:
As always, there is so many Art ideas online - here's a selection I found :)
Weather and the story of Noah's Ark
Continuing on from last month, we are focusing on weather - when are we not in Ireland!!! So if you scroll further down this page, you will find some more teaching ideas on weather. I will link some English writing lessons to weather with procedural texts - 'How to make ice' and 'How to spend a rainy day'. This will begin with modelled writing, and the children will progress to free writing after that, some using a template to assist them. I will also include the story of Noah's Ark in this thematic area, as I find it links quite well, with flooding and all the problems it causes, and it leads nicely into some topics I will cover in the future - animals, counting in twos, etc. There are some lovely ideas to do with Noah's Ark on Pinterest , if you click the following links:
https://www.pinterest.com/paolap/noah-s-ark-theme/
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/noahs-ark-craft/
https://www.pinterest.com/esl52/noahs-ark/
Noah's Ark is a lovely theme to do with this age group (I have first class) They love the story, and linking it to other subjects:
- SESE (sequencing a story, weather, floating and sinking)
- Maths (counting the animals, skip counting)
- Religion (the bible story)
- SPHE (caring for animals)
- Music (singing - Animals went in two by two, Noah's Ark, etc)
- Drama (acting out the scenes of the story, mime, teacher in role, hot seat Noah)
- PE (following instructions and working in pairs)
As always, there is so many Art ideas online - here's a selection I found :)
And while researching, I just found that Twinkl have a resource pack and lesson plans available to download - have I mentioned how much I love Twinkl???!! Here you go: http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-t-9145-noahs-ark-lesson-plan-ideas-ks1
As I mentioned already, this topic of weather and Noah's Ark leads nicely to my next thematic area - Animals and Winter!
Animals and Winter
There will be lots of opportunity for oral language lessons and discussions about animals, their features, habitats, characteristics, likes and dislikes, etc. This will lead nicely then into some comprehension text activities and writing exercises - such as report witing. There are some fabulous Literacy resources - books, online texts, etc. available, which will be fantastic when I get around to teaching this topic. Here's some things I plan on using:
Animals and Winter
There will be lots of opportunity for oral language lessons and discussions about animals, their features, habitats, characteristics, likes and dislikes, etc. This will lead nicely then into some comprehension text activities and writing exercises - such as report witing. There are some fabulous Literacy resources - books, online texts, etc. available, which will be fantastic when I get around to teaching this topic. Here's some things I plan on using:
This will also link with SESE and the change in seasons - discussion here about animals, hibernation and adaptation during Winter months. Obviously, with an older group, you could go into much more detail here, which would be lovely! And of course, you can link your Maths lessons, PE, Drama, Music, etc to any of these topics, withvery simple modifications required.
Again, massive links here with Art - here's some nice ideas I found online :) Two years ago, I had third class and we made a lovely Winter frieze similar to the purple and blue polar bear one you can see below, although it was huge and done on a massive bed sheet and we had 15 polar bears and 15 penguins on it! Pity I don't have photographs of it, becuase it was beautiful!!
Again, massive links here with Art - here's some nice ideas I found online :) Two years ago, I had third class and we made a lovely Winter frieze similar to the purple and blue polar bear one you can see below, although it was huge and done on a massive bed sheet and we had 15 polar bears and 15 penguins on it! Pity I don't have photographs of it, becuase it was beautiful!!
So there you have it, most of the things I will cover over the next three or four weeks. Some of the time will be taken up with Creativity in the Classroom, an initiative in DEIS schools, so not sure how much I will get done on my own themes outside of that! But here's hoping for the next month to be as good as the first two :)
Halloween Teaching Ideas
With Halloween and Mid-Term break approaching next week, I thought I'd root out some ideas to help teach the senior end all about the tradition of Halloween and some of the customs in Ireland surrounding the ancient festival, along with making it fun and applicable to the younger classes.
Becuase I'm not a major fan myself of Halloween, I don't tend to spend all my time in the run up to Halloween teaching about it, which probably isn't fair!! Saying that, I do enjoy all the creativity that comes into the classroom around this time - between decorations, pumpkin carving, Halloween games and costumes, everyone is getting very excited.
Seomra Ranga - as always - is one of my first ports of call. They always have a great range of resources, including printables, display resources, Powerpoints and lesson ideas. This Powerpoint explains the customs and traditions surrounding the festival and it's foundations.
There are some nice ideas for lots of subject areas on the Teaching Ideas website including some nice printable resources which would be suitable for all classes. I will definitely be playing Witches, Ghouls and Monsters/Goblins with my class for PE - they love any games like this! It's also a great way to introduce some of the old style games of Bobbing for apples, Snap Apple, cutting the Bairín Breac, etc. It's nice for children to experience things their parents and grandparents would have done - many traditions that are lost in this day and age.
I like linking Halloween (SESE) and Literacy and getting as much out of it as possible. This week, we have been learning about the bat and we made little mini fact books about bats. I got the template from Twinkl. We brainstormed information about bats, using library books and the internet. We then recorded some of the main facts about bats and the children then picked out a number of facts to include in their books. I made a big deal out of this - calling them authors and illustators and using all the proper langauge - title page, illustrator, etc. They loved it, and as always, took great pride in their work being displayed for all to see :) You could do some report writing on the topic of Halloween, at any age. You could link it to narrative writing and write a spooky story, procedural writing and write a spell for a Wicked Witch - 'How to turn your teacher into a toad' went down really well with my 5th class last year!!!
Seomra Ranga - as always - is one of my first ports of call. They always have a great range of resources, including printables, display resources, Powerpoints and lesson ideas. This Powerpoint explains the customs and traditions surrounding the festival and it's foundations.
There are some nice ideas for lots of subject areas on the Teaching Ideas website including some nice printable resources which would be suitable for all classes. I will definitely be playing Witches, Ghouls and Monsters/Goblins with my class for PE - they love any games like this! It's also a great way to introduce some of the old style games of Bobbing for apples, Snap Apple, cutting the Bairín Breac, etc. It's nice for children to experience things their parents and grandparents would have done - many traditions that are lost in this day and age.
I like linking Halloween (SESE) and Literacy and getting as much out of it as possible. This week, we have been learning about the bat and we made little mini fact books about bats. I got the template from Twinkl. We brainstormed information about bats, using library books and the internet. We then recorded some of the main facts about bats and the children then picked out a number of facts to include in their books. I made a big deal out of this - calling them authors and illustators and using all the proper langauge - title page, illustrator, etc. They loved it, and as always, took great pride in their work being displayed for all to see :) You could do some report writing on the topic of Halloween, at any age. You could link it to narrative writing and write a spooky story, procedural writing and write a spell for a Wicked Witch - 'How to turn your teacher into a toad' went down really well with my 5th class last year!!!
Acrostic poems are lovely at any age group, as are shape poems. Here's some examples I found online:
It's also nice to use the theme to link with Numeracy. I found this lovely Halloween game on Twinkl (I love Twinkl, in case you haven't noticed!!) I modified it slightly to suit me - which is very easily done. I've this laminated and it will come in very handy again in the future.
(On a side note - they have lots of other printable games like this one on Twinkl, just do a little search!)
I've included some other Maths games with links to Halloween below, so hopefully you'll get some inspiration from these :)
In case you haven't noticed, I love teaching SESE and Art, so lots of my ideas will include these subject areas. So here's some Art ideas that I've found nice. Some work well in small group settings, like morning activities, and others can be done with the whole class.
So, I hope this has given you some inspiration for some Halloween themed lessons. As always, any questions, please ask! And I'll do my best to help in any way I can :) x
Thematic Planning
Wow, it's been a while since I've posted in here. I've lots of teaching things in my blog posts, if you want to take a look... Anywayyyyyyyyys!
I thought it might be a good idea to go through some of my monthly themes and give you some ideas and inspiration for possible lessons. I'll hopefully do this each month/two months - hoping I have time for it, and that it helps people! I usually have two themes per month - making it easier to plan fortnightly for. Obviously, this is not everything I teach, just a flavour. I also will post some ideas I get from other teachers, both in my school and friends, other bloggers and websites. Where possible, I will reference where I get the ideas, so you can go find out some more information, if required. As always, any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
So, here we go! September is so manic, so I'm going to briefly do a little bit about that, because I know everybody will be different in the way they do things in September. October is an exciting month, because you're past the settling in period of September and you can get much more work done - well, in my case anyway! My theme for September was: Myself. Within this, we worked on ourselves and our families, our hobbies and interests, friends and our bodies. We also focused on the senses, our bodies and body movements. My two themes for October are: Autumn and Halloween. Within the Autumn theme, which is quite broad, we will be working on changing seasons, animals, hibernation and the weather. And as Halloween is fairly self-explanatory, I will do a blog post about Halloween school activities in the coming weeks!!
Myself
September lends itself well to the theme of 'me'! You are getting to know each child personally, so it's a great way of helping this happen. You may also be getting a new class grouping, so the children may not know each other that well, so it will be nice for them to get to know each other first. We did lots of chatting about ourselves, our likes and dislikes, our families, our friends. And yes, I'm saying 'we' and 'our' - I include myself in these conversations. These children need to know that we are human too. We can share our lives with them - certain things - as I feel it helps to develop a relationship with them, which is vital as far as I'm concerned. I find September is great for looking at our names and how special they are, maybe where they come from, creating self portraits and generating discussion about facial features, hair colour, body parts, etc, which can link nicely to Science and then into PE with body movement. We also did a lot of revision this month - colours, days of the week, months of the year, etc. And we focused an awful lot of time on routines, building positive relationships, etc. as I found this was so important to do at the beginning of the year.
I thought it might be a good idea to go through some of my monthly themes and give you some ideas and inspiration for possible lessons. I'll hopefully do this each month/two months - hoping I have time for it, and that it helps people! I usually have two themes per month - making it easier to plan fortnightly for. Obviously, this is not everything I teach, just a flavour. I also will post some ideas I get from other teachers, both in my school and friends, other bloggers and websites. Where possible, I will reference where I get the ideas, so you can go find out some more information, if required. As always, any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
So, here we go! September is so manic, so I'm going to briefly do a little bit about that, because I know everybody will be different in the way they do things in September. October is an exciting month, because you're past the settling in period of September and you can get much more work done - well, in my case anyway! My theme for September was: Myself. Within this, we worked on ourselves and our families, our hobbies and interests, friends and our bodies. We also focused on the senses, our bodies and body movements. My two themes for October are: Autumn and Halloween. Within the Autumn theme, which is quite broad, we will be working on changing seasons, animals, hibernation and the weather. And as Halloween is fairly self-explanatory, I will do a blog post about Halloween school activities in the coming weeks!!
Myself
September lends itself well to the theme of 'me'! You are getting to know each child personally, so it's a great way of helping this happen. You may also be getting a new class grouping, so the children may not know each other that well, so it will be nice for them to get to know each other first. We did lots of chatting about ourselves, our likes and dislikes, our families, our friends. And yes, I'm saying 'we' and 'our' - I include myself in these conversations. These children need to know that we are human too. We can share our lives with them - certain things - as I feel it helps to develop a relationship with them, which is vital as far as I'm concerned. I find September is great for looking at our names and how special they are, maybe where they come from, creating self portraits and generating discussion about facial features, hair colour, body parts, etc, which can link nicely to Science and then into PE with body movement. We also did a lot of revision this month - colours, days of the week, months of the year, etc. And we focused an awful lot of time on routines, building positive relationships, etc. as I found this was so important to do at the beginning of the year.
You can also do some work around family, family trees, family setup, etc. (although it can be a sensitive subject for some children and I tend to leave this one until later in the year, when I know more about the children and their family circumstances)
I decided to focus on the senses and did lots of work around this topic. I found the kids really enjoyed it and loved learning about how their body worked. We generated lots of discussion and I elicited lots of information from the children about things they liked to taste, smell, hear, touch and see. We focused on the sense organs and used our senses very regularly. We carried out a couple of experiments, I got lots of ideas here: http://kidshealth.org/kid/closet/experiments/experiment_main.html and the children loved this. We created a senses book, where we recorded our senses, the organs we use and things we like to taste, smell, hear, touch and see. This was a home-made job - done very quickly, by a colleague, and if I was to do it again, I would type it up properly, rather than handwritten.
Autumn
I began by doing lots of background work and oral language activities on Autumn - so eliciting information from the children to assess their own knowledge of Autumn, the seasons, hibernation and the weather. We did lots of talking about what Autumn looks like, what Autumn smells like, what Autumn feels like (we were doing the senses previously, so it followed on nicely!) And we watched this lovely video to help develop our understanding of the theme: https://vimeo.com/51800955
We went on a nature walk ourselves then, after we had done lots of discussion about the signs of Autumn. Each child had a small food bag where they could collect signs of Autumn - coloured leaves, berries, conkers, acorns, etc. This again, led to lots of talk about Autumn and the changes of the season. We then talked a lot about Autumn animals and we have chosen to focus on squirrels and hedgehogs. We created some (really freaky looking!) squirrels using leaves as the bushy tail. You can see the small bags filled with lovely signs of Autumn below also.
When I felt the children were ready, we did some shared writing on the topic of Autumn. We brainstormed Autumn words, which we had done orally at various times over the previous week. We used our word wall and tricky words to help create some simple sentences about Autumn. The usual type of writing activity, I modeled it on the whiteboard for the children. I made some 'mistakes' and they fixed them (silly teacher!) I reminded them how to write good sentences (capital letters, full stops at the end, finger spaces, etc) and then they wrote their own. I left my sentences on the board and some children copied them down. Others created their own sentences and then some children did a mixture of both. They turned out beautifully when the children wrote them on bordered paper (from Twinkl) so they made a fabulous display outside the classroom. The tree is one I made while on Teaching Practice about six years ago. Moral of the story - don't throw out anything!!!! The kids made some extra leaves for the tree in their morning activities, to practice cutting.
During the morning activities, I also worked with one group on some artwork, using cotton buds and paint to create Autumn trees. We discussed the colours, the shape of the trunk, the branches, and of course, Autumn weather. The style of pointillism is fantastic for children, as it is easy and really striking when done.
This week, we are focusing on report writing, one on the topic of the squirrel, another on the hedgehog. Here's an example I found of an Irish school - Rutland N.S. and their report writing about the squirrel. I love their author's chair! And after looking through their website, I am so impressed! Well done, keep up the good work :)
We are also going to be focusing on the weather and the changes in the weather for each season. We will have a look at some weather clips online. Not sure where to find them yet, but when I find them, I shall post about them :) We will use a lot of language to describe the weather, using the appropriate language for the children's ability. We will also look at the weather symbols used to forecast the weather. We will put on our 'weather eyes' and take a look each day at the weather. We will record the weather daily and then at the end of the week, we will do a weather forecast. I will model this, with a map of Ireland and some weather symbols. The children will work in groups to create a weather forecast and present it to the class. I might use these cute weather men to help me create a weather chart. And I think I might show them this video to stimulate their interest :)
So, there we have it - some lesson and theme ideas. I hope this is helpful and will give you some inspiration. I will hopefully have these up more frequently, and in time for the following month - if that makes sense! So keep an eye out for Halloween ideas and then following on from that, November and December ideas.
Let me know if this was helpful, and if you've any more suggestions, questions or comments, please feel free to ask :)
Lorraine x
Let me know if this was helpful, and if you've any more suggestions, questions or comments, please feel free to ask :)
Lorraine x
Back to School - Essentials for starting back
So, most of us have less than three weeks holidays left, and I know at this stage, I start panicking about what I need to get, what I need to buy and what I need to do. First things first - RELAX!!! Try and enjoy the next few weeks of freedom, because we'll be counting down the days to Halloween before we know it!
If you're like me though, you like to have some things prepared. I'm starting in a new school in September - a Junior school (which scares the living daylights out of me!!!) so I'll be starting from scratch, but there are a number of things that I know I can do to make it easier for me to start back. So these are the things I will do in the few days before September 1st!
Organise Classroom Layout
I always go in a couple of days before the children are back, just to make sure the classroom is in order. So, this year, I will go in and make sure I have enough tables and chairs for all the children, that I have my teacher's desk where I want it and all other furniture in place. I will also set up my Art area, Sacred Space, Creative Writing Area and Library, just to make sure I have a space and any equipment I need for those.
While this classroom looks 'picture-perfect', I think it's slightly unrealistic and overboard. There's no point in having the classroom like this the first day. Build as you go, and the children will benefit much more from this.
Decorate - but only a little bit!
I wouldn't go too mad decorating the classroom - as above, build as you go.
I always cover my display boards with backing paper. I just feel like they brighten up the classroom and add some colour. I also will put up some displays - I'm going to be teaching First Class, so I'll have a giant number line, the alphabet, days of the week, months of the year and a few other small bits. I've made some displays myself and others have been downloaded and printed in colour and laminated (Websites like Twinkl, Teacher's Pet, etc are brilliant for this type of thing) I'll also have a blank poster ready for classroom rules - which will be made in conjunction with the children once they're back to school. If possible, I will have a name label for each child (not sure whether I'll get a class list yet! But hopefully!) and a name tag for their desk.
Organise your desk and the children's books/copies
I like to have my desk ready to go, with all my lovely stationery (that I never use - but it looks cute!!!), colour-coordinated folders and even a bunch of fake flowers. I find a space like this makes the classroom feel like a friendly and welcoming place to be, and I want to give the right impression, particularly in my new school. I will also try and have the children's books and copies organised and in bundles. This just reduces stress and confusion in the first week.
Last year, I had 5th class and I had these Ikea box files for each child to store their copy books and it saved me so much time passing out copies and looking for lost ones!!! They're quite cheap and most of them lasted the whole year - I'm sure you can imagine some of them were a little worse for wear!!!!
If you're like me though, you like to have some things prepared. I'm starting in a new school in September - a Junior school (which scares the living daylights out of me!!!) so I'll be starting from scratch, but there are a number of things that I know I can do to make it easier for me to start back. So these are the things I will do in the few days before September 1st!
Organise Classroom Layout
I always go in a couple of days before the children are back, just to make sure the classroom is in order. So, this year, I will go in and make sure I have enough tables and chairs for all the children, that I have my teacher's desk where I want it and all other furniture in place. I will also set up my Art area, Sacred Space, Creative Writing Area and Library, just to make sure I have a space and any equipment I need for those.
While this classroom looks 'picture-perfect', I think it's slightly unrealistic and overboard. There's no point in having the classroom like this the first day. Build as you go, and the children will benefit much more from this.
Decorate - but only a little bit!
I wouldn't go too mad decorating the classroom - as above, build as you go.
I always cover my display boards with backing paper. I just feel like they brighten up the classroom and add some colour. I also will put up some displays - I'm going to be teaching First Class, so I'll have a giant number line, the alphabet, days of the week, months of the year and a few other small bits. I've made some displays myself and others have been downloaded and printed in colour and laminated (Websites like Twinkl, Teacher's Pet, etc are brilliant for this type of thing) I'll also have a blank poster ready for classroom rules - which will be made in conjunction with the children once they're back to school. If possible, I will have a name label for each child (not sure whether I'll get a class list yet! But hopefully!) and a name tag for their desk.
Organise your desk and the children's books/copies
I like to have my desk ready to go, with all my lovely stationery (that I never use - but it looks cute!!!), colour-coordinated folders and even a bunch of fake flowers. I find a space like this makes the classroom feel like a friendly and welcoming place to be, and I want to give the right impression, particularly in my new school. I will also try and have the children's books and copies organised and in bundles. This just reduces stress and confusion in the first week.
Last year, I had 5th class and I had these Ikea box files for each child to store their copy books and it saved me so much time passing out copies and looking for lost ones!!! They're quite cheap and most of them lasted the whole year - I'm sure you can imagine some of them were a little worse for wear!!!!
Plan for the first day
There is no point in trying to plan for the first week. Most of you don't know your children yet! I usually, for the first week anyway, plan day-by-day. I do some nice activities the first day, just to ease them back into it (and me too!) - Getting to know you activities, SPHE creating classroom rules, Drama games, an Art activity, some play time for younger classes, etc. I will then decide what to do for the rest of the week, after meeting the children. I would suggest a Teacher Planner, once you're ready to start getting orgaised. I tried the EdCo one this year and I loved the space it had for each day. Much bigger than the Folens one, but that's a personal preference.
There is no point in trying to plan for the first week. Most of you don't know your children yet! I usually, for the first week anyway, plan day-by-day. I do some nice activities the first day, just to ease them back into it (and me too!) - Getting to know you activities, SPHE creating classroom rules, Drama games, an Art activity, some play time for younger classes, etc. I will then decide what to do for the rest of the week, after meeting the children. I would suggest a Teacher Planner, once you're ready to start getting orgaised. I tried the EdCo one this year and I loved the space it had for each day. Much bigger than the Folens one, but that's a personal preference.
And last of all, enjoy it! Our job is so rewarding, and can be the best job in the world! They say, if you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life. And to be honest, I think it's true!
I can't wait to get back in my routine in September and am really looking forward to my new school. Let's hope this enthusiasm continues!!! For now, I'm going to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the holidays!
:)
I can't wait to get back in my routine in September and am really looking forward to my new school. Let's hope this enthusiasm continues!!! For now, I'm going to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the holidays!
:)
Teaching Ideas - Pinterest
So, if you're a teacher, you should know what Pinterest is! If not, get yourself on it - NOW!!!
It is the holy grail of all things teaching related, with ideas for classroom organisation, classroom management, literacy and numeracy strategies, art lessons, planning and preparation, you name it. I find it amazing for planning my lessons and getting ideas.
Here's a link to my Pinterest - hope you find something nice! :)
My username is lorraineTHHT (which stands for The Healthy Happy Teacher)
https://www.pinterest.com/lorraineTHHT/
It is the holy grail of all things teaching related, with ideas for classroom organisation, classroom management, literacy and numeracy strategies, art lessons, planning and preparation, you name it. I find it amazing for planning my lessons and getting ideas.
Here's a link to my Pinterest - hope you find something nice! :)
My username is lorraineTHHT (which stands for The Healthy Happy Teacher)
https://www.pinterest.com/lorraineTHHT/