Wishing all my readers a happy and peaceful holiday. I hope your 2016 has been a great teaching year and you have many exciting things coming in 2017!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Happy Holidays to Everyone
Wishing all my readers a happy and peaceful holiday. I hope your 2016 has been a great teaching year and you have many exciting things coming in 2017!
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Where Do We Find Persuasive Writing?
Understanding persuasive writing is a key skill for students - whether they're reading it or writing it. But where, in the real world, are they likely to come across it?
Advertising
The most common place we see persuasive writing is in advertising. Sometimes it's the short text of a television advertisement, telling us how much better our lives will be if we buy a particular product. Other times it might be the lengthier 'advertorials' - ads disguised as article - in newspapers or magazines.Most advertisements focus on one side of the story only. They often don't acknowledge similar products and they only talk up the positives. They have a very strong agenda - to convince customers to buy their product.
Political Speeches
Like advertising, political speeches are selling something. However, instead of selling a product, they're selling a politician or political party or a policy they want people to approve of. Political speeches might acknowledge different points of view, but they will usually work to explain why their point of view is the best. Some political speeches will be followed by questions or a press conference - politicians end up constantly speaking in persuasive language.
Opinion Pieces
Traditionally opinion pieces were published in a paper form. In the past they might be as published leaflets or as letters to the editor. Newspapers often devoted particular spaces to commentary writers who would use their writing to express certain points of view.
These days, a lot of opinion writing happens on blogs. Everyone is able to share their opinions through the internet, and a lot of people use that to create persuasive arguments about things they're passionate about - like politics, educational theory, best sports team or why someone should read a particular book.
Looking at persuasive writing with your students? Challenge them to find different pieces of persuasive writing in their world. How do the authors persuade the audience? What skills can they use in their own writing?
Want to bring more persuasive arguments into the classroom? Pick up the Persuasive Argument bundle at the Galarious Goods shop. Or, prepare for Christmas with the Australian Christmas Persuasive Writing Pack.
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Tuesday, December 6, 2016
An Aussie Night Before Christmas in the Classroom - Celebrating an Australian Christmas
Over the last few years there's been a number of Australian-themed holiday (and non-holiday) books published. Often they are influenced by and expand on classic stories, rhymes and songs, including Australian settings, animals and familiar objects to create relatable tales for Australian children.
One of the first of these was An Aussie Night Before Christmas by Yvonne Morrison and Kilmeny Niland, and there's a reason it's still so popular. It moves the classic poem to an Australian bush setting and includes more than a few Australian in-jokes - including a couple for the parents reading.
So how can a book like this be used in the classroom?
New Stories from Old Stories
An Aussie Night Before Christmas retells the old 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, moving it the the summer heat of the Australian bush. It's a very modern feeling story, with Mum and Dad sitting down to watch tv sports and Santa arriving in a rusty old ute.Retelling old stories is a really interesting concept for students to investigate. They can discuss other stories, rhymes and songs which could be retold in new ways or investigate other stories which have been retold. They can discuss the choices of the story teller - where they choose to stay with the original story and where they move away from it. And they can have a go at retelling the story themselves.
A Very Australian Portrayal
An Aussie Night Before Christmas tells an Australian story - but is it the Australian story? This is a great opportunity for students to engage with the idea of generalisations, stereotypes and ideas of identity. They can identify which things seem familiar to them and which ones are different. They can talk about what 'Australian' mean to them and what it might look like to someone from another country.
An extension on this is to ask students to write their own version which shows a different Australian night before Christmas. They could bring in their own family traditions or ones they discuss with their classmates. This could be a great small group or whole class activity.
Why Are Stories Like This Important?
Why should we have Australian versions of stories? What does it mean to students to see their own country in a book, to see images which make more sense than sleighs and reindeer? This could open some fascinating conversations about representation in stories and carols - it would be especially useful if you want students to create their own Christmas carols or stories.
This is a great book for all ages at Christmas time. There's a lot of really interesting discussions and chances for writing and other creative activities. If you don't have a copy to share with your class, I highly recommend it.
Wanting to take a more in-depth look at An Aussie Night Before Christmas? Pick up this Book Study resource at the Galarious Goods shop. Or buy the Australian Christmas Writing Bundle and save!
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Creating Lessons from Holiday Decorations - A Big List of Ideas
It's time to decorate the classroom! Or to create fabulous decorations for your students to take home with them! But what other learning can you get from holiday decorations?
Find the Maths
- What angles can you find in a 5 point star? A 6 point star? 7 points?
- What's the circumference of the bauble? The diameter?
- What shapes can you find in holiday decorations?
- What nets do you need to create 3D decorations?
- What's the area of those nets?
- How many decorations do you need to decorate a classroom? To decorate a tree?
Find the Writing
- Write about why we need holiday decorations
- Write about the history of holiday decorations
- Write a procedure for making holiday decorations
- Write a short story about holiday decorations
- Write a newspaper article about how your class is decorated
Find the Engineering
- Which decorations are the strongest?
- How can you made decorations stronger?
- How do you test the strength of a decoration?
- Can you use decorations to make a machine?
- Can you make decorations move on their own?
- Can you create structures out of decorations?
Find the Creativity
- How can you portray decorations using paint? Pencils? Clay?
- What recycled materials can you use to create decorations?
- Can you create a dance about decorations?
- Can you create a play or a song about decorations?
- How can you use colour in your decorations?
- How can you use shapes in decorations?
Don't forget to leave your holiday ideas in the comments!
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Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Surviving Christmas in an Australian Classroom
Ah, Christmas. The students are tired. Admin are insisting that it's business as usual until 3pm on the last day. There's activities and performances and assemblies and you never get a full class for more than half an hour at a time. You've just found out you need to move your whole classroom across the school. Oh, and it's swelteringly hot!
Of course, what you need are Christmas or holiday themed activities which promote real learning - while fitting into the spaces of time you get in the classroom!
Bring on the Games
This is a great time for reinforcing everything you've taught during the year with a series of games. Your students will love you, they'll have a better chance of remembering things into the new year and then their next teacher will also love you!Short multiplication games, grammar games and spelling games are great for filling in the 5 or 10 minute gaps before you have to be somewhere. You could also hold a trivia quiz over the last few weeks, breaking the class into teams and covering all sorts of information from the year (things you've covered, books you've read, events you've attended plus general trivia).
Board games and adapted board games can work really well for those times when you're missing some of the students.
You can also take the games outside to rejuvenate students. Use the first hour of the day when it's a little cooler, or find a covered or shaded place to play.
Writing Tasks
Writing is one of those tasks which is wonderfully adaptable to any event or time of the year. Students can create their own creative writing prompts, create stories, poems, songs or plays about Christmas or the holidays. They can respond to articles in newspapers or online. They can write letters to family and friends or write reflections about the year they've had.Persuasive writing is now a big feature of Australian classrooms and an excellent technique to work on at Christmas time. Students can write advertisements or letters to the editor or they can respond to a persuasive text prompt.
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| Australian Christmas Persuasive Argument Writing Pack |
Reading
Although the Christmas season might not allow enough time for a Christmas novel, there is enough time to examine Christmas picture books. Students can examine picture books based on old carols and stories or picture books which tell new stories. They can talk about the way Christmas is portrayed, the emphasis which is put on Christmas in the books (is it about Santa? Giving? Where Christmas is held? The food?) or how different Christmas books compare with each other. Alongside the reading discussion, there's plenty of room for accompanying writing and craft activities.
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| An Aussie Night Before Christmas Book Study |
Maths Investigations
Christmas and holidays are great for maths investigations. You can plan for Christmas lunch (time table for cooking, menu planning for 4 people or 6 people or 8 people, working out the cost of ingredients and creating a budget.
Or you could create an investigation around wrapping presents - how can you wrap different sized boxes? How much paper will you need?
Or look at patterns of Christmas lights. What patterns can you create? How does it change when you use different numbers of lights or colours?
There are so many easy to set up and easy to implement ideas to create real learning at Christmas time - even with the heat. And don't forget my Christmas freebie - available here!
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Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Three Connections to The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)
Although The Ruins of Gorlan (which I've discussed here and here) is set in a fictional world, there's still many connections to real world history and topics. Those connections are just waiting for you to explore in the classroom.
Medieval History
The world of the Ranger's Apprentice books is a rather modern version of medieval history. Conditions are a lot cleaner and nicer for our characters, but there are castles, fiefdoms, barons and knights and lots of connections to European medieval history.
Students can spend some time reading up on medieval history. They may like to research historical documents and images or they might like to spend some time reading medieval historical fiction (you can find some here or here). This allows for comparisons, for students to discuss why the author may have chosen a medieval setting and discussions about how realistic the world of the Ranger's Apprentice is.
Spies in History
One of the roles of the Rangers is to act as spies for the King. There's a rich history of spies throughout history and it's a topic students can definitely get their teeth into. Students might like to look at why spies are required, who some of the famous spies are and what impact they've had on historical events. They could look at how spies work and spies who work during war time. There's also many middle grades and young adult books on spies which can be connected to The Ruins of Gorlan.
Archery
As an apprentice Ranger, Will learns archery and is expected to become an expert with the bow and arrow. Archery is an activity which developed to allow people to hunt for food before becoming a weapon and, in modern times, a sport. Students can learn how archery works and where it appears in other books and media. Through archery you can also connect The Ruins of Gorlan to physical educations - you may be lucky to allow the students to experience archery or you could look at some accuracy and strength drills - and STEM - creating a bow, looking at forces, looking at records from archery competitions, examining how bows and arrows have developed over history.
This is just some of the many connections to The Ruins of Gorlan. You can find more in the Ruins of Gorlan Research Task pack, which encourages students to research connected topics. You can also purchase a comprehension and vocabulary pack, a character pack and an overall novel pack, or you can purchase a complete bundle and save.
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Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Lessons from Three Characters in The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)
In my last post I talked about The Ruins of Gorlan, the first Ranger's Apprentice book by John Flanagan and why I thought it would be a great read for the classroom. Here I'd like to spend a bit of time talking about some of the characters and the lessons they can inspire in the classroom.
Will
Will is an orphaned ward of Redmont Fief and knows nothing about his past. He's small, but nimble, and uses his climbing and hiding skills to get himself in and out of trouble. He aspires to be a knight, but is instead chosen as an apprentice to the mysterious Ranger.The use of orphans in children's stories is a familiar topic, but it's definitely one worth revisiting with students. Why do authors choose to revisit the orphan storyline? What does it add to the story? How would the story be different if Will (or other famous orphans of children's literature) were not orphans? What similarities are there between Will's story and the story of other orphans?
Will's lack of knowledge about his past is also an interesting area to explore. Students could look into how family history shapes characters and how it shapes us as individuals. They could look at family stories and the narratives they create.
Horace
Like Will (and three of the other young characters in the story), Horace is an orphan and a ward. However, he gets his wish and is placed into battle school as an apprentice Knight. Despite having a natural ability with the sword, Horace finds the experience isolating and miserable - due to the behaviour of others and the lack of cultural knowledge he has around the battle school.Horace's struggles at battle school are really interesting. On paper he's the perfect candidate, but he doesn't understand what the culture of the school is supposed to be like and has no one to ask about it. This leaves him open to abuse at the hands of older students. Students can investigate the idea of 'belonging' and 'culture' and talk about why it might be hard to be a new student at a school or a new immigrant to a country.
There's also opportunities to discuss bullying through this story - and how to deal with it. Horace doesn't deal with it particularly well and students might like to propose different ways he could have approached the situation.
Halt
Halt is the Ranger of Redmont Fief and Will's mentor. Little is known about him or his past, but he carefully guides Will to learn the skills necessary to become a Ranger. As Will gets to know Halt, he discovers that Halt has played a pivotal role in defending Araluen in the past - and that this experience will assist them in dealing with growing danger.Halt's role as mentor is a familiar role in fiction and non-fiction stories. Students can compare mentors from different narratives and look at differences and similarities. They can also look at biographies and memoirs of notable people and identify mentors to real life people. Students may also like to identify the features of a mentor.
Find more Ranger’s Apprentice - The Ruins of Gorlan Resources at Teachers Pay Teachers.
Comprehension and Vocabulary - Complete comprehension and vocabulary activities for The ruins of Gorlan
Character Activities - Activities covering a range of characters in The Ruins of Gorlan
Research Tasks - A series of research tasks which explore connected topics
Whole Novel Activities - Activities covering the whole novel
Or Buy The Bundle and Save!
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Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Introducing The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)
Finding novels for small groups or whole classes to read can be a difficult exercise. Here I'd like to introduce one of my favourite books - a great coming of age story appropriate for 8-14 year old readers.
The Ruins of Gorlan is the first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. It takes us to the fictional world of Araluen - similar to medieval England - a world of castles and knights and the mysterious Rangers.
The hero of the story is Will, a young orphan who wants to be a knight. However, he is considered too small to join the battle school and is instead apprenticed to the enigmatic Ranger, Halt. We follow his training as an apprentice until an almost forgotten enemy appears to test Halt, Will and others around them
Although there are some fantastical elements to this book (those elements aren't really present in later books in the series) it is primarily an adventure. It's also an origin story - we see how Will enters training as a Ranger, how he is challenged through that training and asked to make decisions which will shape his future, how he interacts with his mentor and how he can apply his training in an unthinkable situation.
There's a lot in this book which can be used in the classroom. The fictional medieval elements allow research and discussion of medieval history. The characters in the story are challenged by a number of situations, allowing for some interesting discussions. The origin story element allows for comparisons with other texts like comic books, other first books in series and prequels. There's also incredibly rich vocabulary used throughout the book, allowing for word work and discussions.
Decided to teach The Ruins of Gorlan, but not sure where to start? Download this FREE RESOURCE - The Ruins of Gorlan: Introductory Activities to get you going.
Find more Ranger’s Apprentice - The Ruins of Gorlan Resources at Teachers Pay Teachers.
Comprehension and Vocabulary - Complete comprehension and vocabulary activities for The ruins of Gorlan
Character Activities - Activities covering a range of characters in The Ruins of Gorlan
Research Tasks - A series of research tasks which explore connected topics
Whole Novel Activities - Activities covering the whole novel
Or Buy The Bundle and Save!
Looking for more?
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016
7 Things You May Not Know About Government in Australia
Are you thinking about teaching Australian Government in your classroom? Did you know these facts about the Australian political system and Australian political history?
1. Australians Do Not Directly Elect the Prime Minister
Unlike the United State of America, Australians do not make a direct vote for the political leader of the country. Instead they vote for local representatives who are usually members of political parties. The political party with the most representatives chooses one of the representatives to be Prime Minister.2. This Can Lead to Sudden Changes . . .
Political parties can choose to change the Prime Minister without a public election - this often happens when they disagree with the leader or they think a new leader will do better. In 2010 there was a sudden change when the representatives of the Labor Party decided that Julia Gillard should replace Kevin Rudd. In 2013 they went back to Kevin Rudd. In 2015 the Liberal Party decided to change from Tony Abbott to Malcolm Turnbull.3. The Prime Minister is Not the Head of State of Australia
The head of state of Australia is Queen Elizabeth II. She has representatives in Australia - the Governor-General and the Governors. In 1999 there was a referendum vote to decide if Australia should become a republic with an Australian head of state. However, the Australian people voted to remain a monarchy and the Queen remains as the head of state.4. Australia has Compulsory Voting
All Australian citizens over the age of 18 are required to register and vote - it's considered one of the responsibilities of citizenship.5. Australians Usually Use a Pencil and Paper to Vote
All voters in Australia are given paper ballots and all voting booths provide pencils. Australia started using pencils because they were quicker to use than ink pens, but they continue to use them because they are easy to prepare, store and maintain. You can bring your own pen to voting if you wish.6. Australians Vote on Saturday - and Eat Sausages!
Voting in Australia is held on Saturdays when most Australians are available to vote (although you can vote earlier if you need to). Voting is usually held at schools and churches and they often hold sales to raise money. The most popular sale is a sausage sizzle - barbecued sausage on bread with sauce. At recent elections voters have compared the best sausage sizzles and shared photos of their sausages on social media! Check out the #democracysausage tag on Instagram!7. An Australian Prime Minister Once Went Missing
In December 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt went swimming and never came back. Although it is presumed that he was drowned, his body was never recovered. After his death, a swimming pool complex was named in his honour.Now you know more about Australian political systems and history, you're all set to teach it in the classroom. If you're looking for extra resources, you can find them at the Galarious Goods TeachersPayTeachers store - from Poster Sets to Research Tasks to a 'Run Your Own Preferential Election' kit. You can also get the Australian Government Basics and Elections in Australia Bundles - both with great savings.
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Sunday, October 23, 2016
A Little Blog Housekeeping . . .
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Friday, October 21, 2016
What are Math Investigations?
When we teach mathematics it can be very easy to get caught in the nuts and bolts - the mathematical processes and ensuring that students get the 'right' answers.
It's important, though, to extend past the basic rules and processes, to get our students understanding how they can be combined and where they might have real-world applications.
Maths (or math) investigation allow students to apply their maths understanding in various situations. They usually start with a 'real world' mathematical question - big or small:
Students then formulate plans to answer the questions, collect data, use multiple processes to solve the problem, communicate the answer and reflect on their learning.
The joy of maths investigations lie in their flexibility. You can ask students to solve a large question which might take a few weeks to solve, or give them a smaller, more focused question to solve in one lesson. You can provide measurements or partial answers, or require students to collect them themselves. You can combine them with science or engineering or history or the arts. And you can cover a wide range of maths standards.
Have you used maths investigations? Have you got any good maths questions to share?
Head to TeachersPayTeachers to find a Halloween Maths Investigation!
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Monday, October 17, 2016
Teaching the Government of Other Countries - Why and How?
Teaching about the government of your own country can get complicated enough (preferential voting, anyone?!) without bringing other countries into it. But, learning about governments around the world can be incredibly valuable to students and it's definitely worth adding to your classroom.
Why should you teach about the political systems of other countries?
- We live in a global world - what happens in one country can influence the events in other countries. Understanding the domestic political systems of other countries can help students gain a better understanding of treaties, interactions between leaders and the actions of international organisations.
- Learning about other countries allows students to make comparisons. Making comparisons is an important skill for students to develop - especially when they understand why there are differences and similarities in different systems. The better they understand different systems, the more nuanced their comparisons can be.
- Investigating the political systems of other countries fosters an interest in the world. The political systems are usually influenced by the history of a country and changes usually reflect the people. Learning about these elements allow students to develop a world view.
How can you teach about the political systems of other countries?
- Pick one country to look at in-depth. Examine what the elected positions are, how people vote for them, how the electoral systems have changed over time. Look at what outside influences have altered the political systems of the country.
- Pick one country to look at side by side with your own country. Create timelines of major electoral events. Examine the responsibilities of different elected roles. Look at who can vote and when different groups of people received the right to vote.
- Pick one element - like elections - and examine a range of countries. You might like to create a 'day in the life' of the political leaders or write instructions for first time voters in each country.
- Break students into smaller groups to examine different elements or different countries. Bring students together to share their learning or create a display for students, other classes and their families to explore.
Whether you look at other countries for one or two lessons or you create larger comparative units, including other countries in your government and civics lessons can create students who have a more inclusive understanding of how politics works around the world.
Interested in introducing your students to the Australian Electoral System? Check out the Australian Election Bundle - with a mini unit, 2 word wall resources, research tasks, a poster set and a Run Your Own Preferential Election kit.
Want a quicker look at Australian Government? The Australian Government Basics Bundle gives a quick look at the different elements of the Australian political system.
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Friday, October 14, 2016
Elections in the Classroom - 7 Tips for Real Learning with Minimum Controversy
Learning about real life elections in the classroom sounds a little like a disaster waiting to happen - but there definitely are ways to talk about political situations in the classroom without attracting controversy.
1. Don't Avoid It
Elections happen and they're important. Students are future voters and they deserve to understand how elections work. Avoiding the topic might keep things from becoming controversial, but it can also be a disservice to our students who should be educated about the electoral system.2. Keep Your Feelings Out of It
You might have really strong opinions about a particular candidate, but work to keep a neutral approach in the classroom. Students don't need to know about how you might be inclined to vote - it's ok to talk about how voters often prefer to keep their votes to themselves. It can also be an opportunity to talk about the use of secret ballots in elections and why they are used.3. Set the Ground Rules for the Students
Discussions about elections can get heated, especially if students or their parents hold strong opinions. Establish some strict ground rules early, ensuring students participate in lessons in a respectful, considerate manner.4. Use 'Primary' Sources
If you want to investigate to political positions of the candidates or how they use language in speeches turn to the words of the candidates themselves. Look for speeches on similar topics or speeches from similar events (like campaign launches or party conventions). Comparing the words of the candidates side by side allows students to see both sides of the political arguments and can also serve as a informational reading lesson. |
| Different principles of Australian democracy |
5. Take a Technical Approach
It's possible to talk about elections without focusing too much attention on candidates or political parties. Look at how elections work, what people need to do to vote, how votes are counted. Look at the levels of government and what the different electable positions are. You can even take a look into how the government works. The technical approach allows students to look more critically at the political process and how they can be involved in it.6. Take a Historical Approach
Instead of focusing on a current or more recent election, take a look into the past. What was the first election like? How have political parties changed over the years? What are the notable or interesting elections of the past? So much of history shapes the events of today - learning about the past can allow students to understand how we got to current political situations.7. Take an International Approach
Lots of countries have democratic systems and elections, but they all have their own ways of voting and forming governments. Take your students on a look back at Ancient Athenian Democracy or take a peek into elections within other democratic countries. Compare and contrast the electoral systems and their principles with the electoral systems of your own country. Taking a wider view of elections can allow your students to have a better understanding of the electoral systems of their own country - and a global understanding of political events.A controversial election can make the idea of teaching government seem scary. But with some firm ground rules and interesting side journeys, you can make the most of election season while avoiding controversy.
Interested in introducing your students to the Australian Electoral System? Check out the Australian Election Bundle - with a mini unit, 2 word wall resources, research tasks, a poster set and a Run Your Own Preferential Election kit.
Taking a general look at elections and democracy through a study of a graphic novel. The Babymouse for President Government Book Study looks at how candidates approach elections - whether it's for major political positions or for student council president.
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