60 inspiring teaching ideas

Made by: Bluecherschule ย Europaschule in Wiesbaden, Germany Brekkuskรณli in Akureyri, Iceland CEIP Tomรกs de Ybarra in Tomares, Spain Istituto Comprensivo Toscanini in Casorate Sempione, Italy Nordre Skole in Viborg, Denmark Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd in Llandudno, Wales

2015 - 2018

ACTIVITY: Hot shower Theme: Improve Social Skills Age group: all ages Skills to learn: improve your social and personal skills by writing something positive about a person in your class Differentiation: write or draw Materials: paper and pencil Description of the activity: Each pupil has a white sheet of paper on his desk an writes its own name on it. Afterwards everyone leaves the pencil on his own place. Everybody stands up. You walk around to the places of the other pupils an write something positive about the person on their sheet. You can write what he does good in class or that he is a positive school mate etc. Younger children can draw on the paper.

When you’re finished you go to the next free table.

During the whole time the pupils are not allowed to speak.

After a certain amount of time, the teacher gives a signal and everbody goes back to his own place.

Now you can read, what the others wrote on your paper and take it home as a special gift.

Made by: Meike Scholly in second class

ACTIVITY: Silence painting Theme: Silence Age group: 8-10 years old Skills to learn: learn how to communicate and create together in complete silence Differentiation: no Materials: paper, glue, pencils, scissors, brochures with pictures (of animals for example)

Description of the activity: Students getthe task of designing a blank page without talking. They agree non-verbally, through gestures and facial expressions, which pictures are cut out and glued. They are totally free in their design. Activity is recommended mainly outdoors.

Made by: Anja Schwefer

ACTIVITY: Pizza massage Theme: stress relaxation, body perception Age group: six – ten years Skills to learn: social skills, coordination, motor abilities, collaborative work Objectives: Massage can relax a child's mind and body, increase their attentiveness, enhance a child’s awareness and boost the immune system, among many other benefits.

Materials: blankets, mats Description of the activity: The students have to get together in pairs. One student of each pair has to lay on the ground, the other one knees next to him. The teacher will read out a text about making pizza. The movements of the teacher will be repeated by the kneeing student on the back of the laying one. The movement should be slowly and without too much pressure.

After the first turn, the students change places.

Made by: first grade pupils. Teacher: Kathrin Herzog.

ACTIVITY:

Acid river

Theme: group dynamics game Age group: 5 to 15 people Skills to learn: train the cooperation in a group Differentiation: more or less stepping stones Materials: two riverbanks (ropes or chalk to paint), one less than participants stepping stones (pieces of thick paper or carpet) Description of the activity: The task of the group is to cross the river (using the stepping stones and keeping in contact to each other) without touching the acid river itself. The group first thinks and discusses how to solve that task and then starts to execute. If one part of the group fails by stepping into the river the whole group has to start again.

Made by: Regine Klomfass-Hillert

ACTIVITY: Strong as an elephant Theme: well behavior Age group: age 6 to 10, 20 children Skills to learn: Improve self confidence Materials: solid paper, elephant template

Description of the activity: Elephants have a thick skin. So they do not get angry easily.

Children paint an elephant and cut it out. Two pupils stand in the middle of a circle and will be insulted by others. The children in the middle of the circle think about the elephant’s skin and keep self-consciously. The pupils do not take care about the indignity. They behave like banish a fly from the shoulder. If they managed to stay happy and not get angry, the elephant will receive a dot.

Made by: Regine Klomfass-Hillert

ACTIVITY: Blow away your sorrows Theme: self confidence Age group: All ages who can already write or draw (We've done it as grown ups as well) Skills to learn: communication skills, problem solving skills, breathing skills (it's not that easy with a straw) Differentiation: If you have kids who can't write properly or who prefer to talk, they can take a cotton ball instead and whisper into it.

Materials: paper, pens, straws, and a bucket.

Description of the activity: You need paper, pen, straws, and a bucket. First you talk about concerns/sorrows children can have and how it can be difficult to handle them. Then you give each child one piece of paper and they can write down what's been troubling them the most right now. After that they crumple the paper into a ball. Then they get a straw. On the floor there is a bucket lying across the floor and the kids try to blow their paper ball into the bucket to get rid of their sorrows to �blow away their sorrows�. Usually it takes some time for the kids to pass the way blowing the paper ball into the bucket and they focus on this activity only hence they might have forgotten a bit about what's been troubling them a few minutes ago. After the action you reflect on how the kids are feeling now and so far they have noticed that they are feeling a bit better and if not, it is at least an activity for the teacher to realise why the kids are worried.

Made by: Nadine Pflug

ACTIVITY: Cool as an elephant Theme: Self-assertion for children in conflicts Age group: 6-10 Skills to learn: We train the use of the voice and a self-conscious, non-provoking physical expression as a physically active but de-escalating self-assertion. The students learn how to control themselves better in anger, react more meaningfully and then find compromises.

Description of the activity: Step 1: Position yourself as a strong as a bear.

Different feelings (sad, angry) are represented with the body. Next the children should show themselves strongly (as a bear) and look self-conscious.

Step 2: Stay cool when offended.

Imagine you have an elephant skin where everything bounces away like raindrops. Practice it with the group. One says the insults and the others go cool as the elephant.

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to Made by: Wite LehmkĂźhler

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ACTIVITY: My present for you is….

Theme: Friendship Age group: 6-99 Skills to learn: Make someone a compliment Materials: Paper /Pencil

Description of the activity: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Every child writes its own first name on a piece of paper and folds it.

Then everyone put the papers with the names on them in a box.

The oldest child begins and takes a piece of paper out of the box.

The child has to give the child whose name is written on the piece of paper a present in form of saying something nice about her/him (one sentence –to keep it short).

5. Turn clockwise so every child has the chance to take a paper out of the box and give a present.

6. If a child takes herself/himself –just put the paper back in the box and try again.

Made by: Katja Becker (Blücherschule)

ACTIVITY: Friedenskreise - Circles of peace Theme: What do I need to feel comfortable and happy in class?

Age group: 7-…

Skills to learn: express and verbalize ones’ emotions, empathy Differentiation: not needed Materials: water colours, paper, old newspapers/ magazines Description of the activity: Based on an idea of the artist Ernst Wilhelm Nay, the kids first create circles of peace by using their favorite water colours.

Then they start thinking: What is important for me when it comes to learning/being comfortable/being happy in class?

Every student searches for words/phrases in newspapers/magazines and then sticks them to his/her circles of peace.

After every pupil has presented his/her circle of peace, all the circles can be transformed into a hot air balloon or something similar.

Made by: Tine Eberz (Blücherschule)

ACTIVITY: Radio-Game Theme: Music Age group: 6 - 99 Skills to learn: Listening, sing, learning songtext Materials: a good song, instrument or CD-Player, a button (drum, pillow, chair ...)

Description of the activity: Pupils sing a song, accompanied by an instrument or a CD. One pupil is the "Radioman" and can stop the singing pupils, when he pushs a button (a drum, pillow, chair ...). The music by instrument or by CD-Player never stops. So the children have to sing in mind, because when the "Radioman" pushs the button again, the pupils continue singing.

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Made by: Matthias Krebs / BlĂźcherschule Wiesbaden

ACTIVITY: Class rules Puzzles - Class building activity Theme: Class rules Puzzles - We fit together!

Age group: All ages Skills to learn: Social skills - Although we are all unique and individuals - we can find a way to fit all together.

Materials: Paper, crayons in different colours, scissor – happy faces and positive minds 

Description of the activity: Draw a puzzle containing enough pieces for each student. The pieces are all in a different sizes and shapes – just like us! We talk about the pieces, describe them to see how different they are and what they have in common. Each student decorate his or her piece. Then we have to find a way to combine the pieces into a puzzle. In the middle we wrote our classrooms rules that we decided together. The message is clear: We all have to work together and help each other to build a strong and encouraging atmosphere in the classroom. It´s a beautiful picture that reminds us that we can all be friends and together we are stronger and better – WE BELONG!

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9EQ-oehoFI Made by: Hjördís Óladóttir at Brekkuskóli

ACTIVITY: Teaching about “The Convention on the Rights of the Child”.

Theme: Human rights and equality, drawing and cooperation.

Age group: 6 – 16.

Skills to learn: The rights of the child according to the United Nations and Unicef.

Differentiation: The pupils work in mixed age groups. The older ones help the younger ones to read and understand what they are reading.

Materials: A photocopy of The Convention on the Rights of the Child, coloured paper, white paper, pencils, colours, scissors, a plate to make a circle, a glue and a string.

Description of the activity: The students get one paragraph each from the Convention on the rights of the child. They discuss inn small groups the meaning of the paragraph they got. They cut out a circle from a colored paper. Theyr write what the paragraph says or glue the paragraph on the circle (depends on the age). On the other side of the circle they draw a picture where they interpret the meaning of the paragraph. They use the string to hang the circle up on a branch.

Made by: Margrét Þóra Einarsdóttir

ACTIVITY: Geography and IT Theme: Geography of Europe Age group: 11-13 years old but the theme can be used for all age groups.

Skills to learn: Location and proportions of all the European countries.

Differentiation: Students make their own map of Europe in groups.

Materials: A3 paper, a few coloured paper, glue and PC/smart devices.

Description of the activity: When the project starts the students have already learnt something about the geography of the European countries. The students are divided to small groups, about three in each group. See link with introduction of the project in the link Europe project. The students can only use their hands to tear down the paper to make the map of Europe. The project takes around 200 minutes. Then it is time to take a picture of the map and put it into the Thinglink program, see link below how to use the program.

Link to pages: Europe Project https://snapguide.com/guides/make-rifrildi/ How to use Thinglink: https://www.thinglink.com/scene/886982716002664449

Made by: Helena Sigurdardottir

ACTIVITY: ACTIVITY: Programming with code.org Theme: Programing, mathematic and creativity.

Age group: Can be used for all age groups.

Skills to learn: Programming and creating in a drag and drop environment.

Differentiation: Students make their own program.

Materials: Computer/smart devices

Description of the activity: Every year there are millions of students participating in a program called the Hour of Code. It is nice to plan it with both younger and older students. The older students can then help the younger ones. It is good, but not necessary, that the teacher starts by creating an account and then adds the students or classes he wants to participate. The students can choose from 52 languages so it is also possible to use it in language learning. Inside the program students can create their own artwork and program their own games. When programming students need to use mathematical skills, therefore it can be good to pair younger students with older ones.

It can be used for only one lesson or a whole school year.

Link to a website: https://code.org Made by: Helena Sigurdardottir

ACTIVITY: Reading, storytelling and using Green screen Theme: Reading, storytelling and puppet making.

Age group: Can be used for all age groups.

Skills to learn: Reading, storytelling, creativity and expression.

Differentiation: Students tell their own story.

Materials: Books, A3 green paper/fabric/wall, paper, colours, scissors, sticks, glue and smart devices.

Description of the activity: Students read a book together, they talk about the scenes in the story and decide which one they want to remake or they can make the “next book�. Then it is time to make the characters from the story, it is good to have them approximately 5 cm and use paper that is a bit thick. After the characters have been drawn it is time to cut them out and put them on green sticks (see picture). To use the green screen app it is good to have a green background but it is not necessary. The students might want to rehearse the scenes a little bit before the filming starts.

Link to a website: Apps for green screen, it is possible to use any green screen app but here is the one we use: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/green-screenby-do-ink/id730091131?mt=8 Made by: Helena Sigurdardottir

ACTIVITY: Learning the alphabet the letter Í – í in Icelandic and connecting to an animal.

Theme: Reading and learning about animals in nature Age group: 5-6 years Skills to learn: Hands on connecting the sound the letter makes to an animal they would want to learn more about. The class decided they would like to learn about polar bears which is ísbjörn in Icelandic. Finding out about their habitat and habits. Looking at a map and finding Greenland. Adding to their skill to cut along a line with scissors and work with paint and glue.

Differentiation: According to reading and motor skills.

Materials: Good walking shoes and good and positiv humor;) Description of the activity: The group went to the library and borrowed books on polar bears.

Teacher read stories about polar bears and students fished out words with the letter í in them.

Students looked at the books and those who can read, read to their pals. Together the students found Greenland on a map. Students cut out a polar bear and fixed on a big sheet of paper and painted blue around it. The clouds were torn out of silk paper and glued on at last.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsr0s-0mQJY Made by: Sigurlína Jónsdóttir and fellow teachers and students in first grade

ACTIVITY: Looking at artwork in the neighborhood of our school Theme: Environmental awareness Age group: 6- 11 yrs.

Skills to learn: About art in our neighborhood and how it changes, in style and materials used, at different times Differentiation: Worksheet finished according to drawing- and writing skills of the pals.

Materials: Good walking shoes and good and a positive humor;). Worksheet, pencils and crayons.

Description of the activity: First and sixth grade students met for first time to become friendship classes. Students were paired together for the walking trip. Teachers told students briefly about the artists and their work and answered questions. After the walk the first grade students drew a picture of a statue to their chose and the sixth grade students wrote down what both of them found most interesting about the work of art. After refreshment they had a brake and played together outside. Both classes can´t wait to meet up again.

Made by: Sigurlína Jónsdóttir and fellow teachers in first and sixth form

ACTIVITY: Sculptures made out of snow Theme: Making polar bears out of snow Age group: Fifth grade Skills to learn: Students explore the materials and technique. Sculpting helps the students in developing their observational skills. They will learn how to watch the world in full detail. They will be more considerate in looking at each part of an object. The students can be able to express themselves through sculpting.

Materials: Snow and big plastic container to make cubes and knives and saws to form the sculpture.

Description of the activity: It's important to make sure that you have the proper snow for snow sculpture.

It needs to be firm but not too icy nor slushy. Test it by rolling into a small ball and seeing how the ball forms and stays together. If it forms easily and stays in shape, the snow is good to use. First you must make snow bricks and lay them so they make a block of snow. When the snow block is big enough you can start shaping the polar bear. The best way to form the snow is to use saws and knives . You can use stones or water color for eyes, nose and mouth. Remember experimenting is part of the fun!

Made by: Brynhildur Kristinsdรณttir and students in Brekkuskรณli, Akureyri, Iceland

ACTIVITY: Teaching music symbols Theme: Christmas, students learn to know music symbols Age group: 7-10 Skills to learn: Music signs and symbols, drawing.

Differentiation: Children draw their own pictures using music symbols and their imagination Materials: Paper, colors, pencil and music.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsIMSBTCzzA Frosty the snowman with notes and symbols.

Description of the activity: Students listen and sing Christmas songs. Then they talk about what is happening in the song.

The teacher write on the board what the students suggest. Then the music symbols are put on the board and together we talk about their meanings. Then the students draw a picture about the Christmas song we have been singing using the music symbols to create the picture. It can be a Christmas card or a gift tag. Use your imagination, search the web for more songs!

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGJiHbNjaHE Made by: Students from grade 2-5 and Sigga Hulda the music teacher

ACTIVITY: Our world and the people around it.

Theme: Our world and the people around it.

Age group: 6 – 16 Skills to learn: Geography, creativity, cooperation.

Differentiation: The pupils work in mixed age groups. The older ones help the younger ones.

Materials: Coloured cartoons, paper, out dated map books, scissors, pencils.

Description of the activity: Coloured cartoon in the shape of the world is clued to the wall.

Students tear down paper and make countries and continents to symbol the world we live in.

Then they make their own paper person to symbol all the people around the world. They cut it out and make a dress for them out of an old map (or something else).

Made by: Margrét Þóra Einarsdóttir

ACTIVITY: Wooden puzzle Theme: Birds, art and handcraft.

Age group: first - fifth grade Skills to learn: The process of making a puzzle. Putting together a puzzle helps children develop problem-solving skills and memory skill. Puzzles help kids to understand shapes, forms, space and negative space, Materials: wood “MDF” saw, paint and colours.

Description of the activity: Those puffins are made from nine pieces of MDF. First students draw a bird on a thin plate of MDF and then paint or colour it. Then the drawing is cut in nine pieces with a saw. Then boxes are made out of paper and student must draw alike drawing to cower the box. You can see on the first photo.

Made by: Brynhildur Kristinsdóttir and students in Brekkuskóli, Akureyri, Iceland

ACTIVITY: Andalusian Games Theme: Physical Education. Games.

Age group: 10 and 7 (mixed groups) Skills to learn: Traditional games. We will develop: relationships among students, responsibility and ability, psychomotor and organizational skills, communicative skills (year 5 have to explain and show year 2 the rules) Differentiation: reduced groups, flash cards, display videos, mentor students Materials: depending on the game (soft balls, kerchief, cones, manual arts…) Basketball court.

Description of the activity: Preparation 15’: A. GAME.POSITIONING AND GROUPS ASSIGNMENT. Main part 60’: B. TRADITIONAL 6 GAMES CIRCUIT. The 5th year students will prepare a circuit for 2nd level students made up of 6 traditional games. Previously, they have practiced and investigated them. The activity will be carried out at a basketball court. It will last for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The mini-teachers (5th level) will be in 6 different groups of 4 people each. They must have prepared a traditional game worksheet about specific information of these 6games and materials related to the 6 games for the little ones. They rotate every 10 minutes.

Calm down time 15’: Cleaning up materials and period of group reflection, opinion and feelings.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZoO6Il2c8 Made by: Diana Vega Barrientos. Physical Education.

ACTIVITY: Let’s Go Astronauts!

Theme: The secrets of the universe.

Age group: 9-10 Skills to learn: Cooperative learning, manipulative, autonomy, creativity, personal challenges...

Differentiation: The activities are adapted to the different rhythms of student learning.

Nevertheless, mini teachers will be established to help their classmates.

Materials: Cardboard, glossy paper, colored tissue paper, geometric figure, glue, scissors, Science book, scientific…

Description of the activity: The students are going to prepare a final project about the things that they have learned in Science about the Universe: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

A mock-up of different constellations A detachable on the solar system with all the planets and their curiosities.

A collage about Earth´s movements.

A Moon phase’s craft.

A tetraptych about the solstices and equinoxes.

A relief model of lunar and solar eclipses.

Making up a story about the space.

Paper bags to keep technical datasheets in the mother tongue, handicrafts, and drawings.

Finally, they get the astronaut card.

Made by: Belén Andrés and 4th grade pupils.

ACTIVITY: WE COMMUNICATE WITH PICTOGRAMS. Theme: rights, values, diversity, inclussion, emotional inteligence, contents of the curriculum areas and languages.

Age group: It is for all ages.

Skills to learn: socialisation, tolerance, communication, autonomy, colaboration, team work, wellness, independence, sensibility, empathy and use of the ICTs. Differentiation: It adapts to all kinds of students.

Materials: paper, pencil, coloring pencils, printer, laminating machine and Internet.

Description of the activity:

It is a permanent and crossed activity for the students and teachers of the school. Its objective is to make the invisible visible and to concern/Raise awareness about the right, the necessity and the pleasure to communicate that everybody has since birth.

USE OF PICTOGRAMS. 1. Personal diaries. These diaries help people with communication difficulties to know what to do, where to do, with whom to do and how to do. Activities are done everyday and that’s why a personal diary to register all of them should exist.

2. To change rigidity and routine. Pictograms are used to anticipate and avoid behavior problems.

3. As a guide of difficult activities.

4. To understand what it is important correct.

5. To make easy and to adapt learning of curriculum content.

6. To participate and understand every activity we celebrate out of the school routine.

Use of pictograms by people with language difficulties becomes indispensable, it is like translating the world into images.

Fig 1.2 Screen shot ofl art. 7 of the CRPD translated to pictograms Author: CEAPAT Fig 1.1 "Un día en nuestra vida" - Authorss: José Manuel Marcos and David Romero CC: CC (BY-NC-SA)

Made by: Mª José Aguayo and CEIP Tomás de Ybarra’s collaborators and associations.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vALzGU4rsR0

ARASAAC1

ARASAAC2 More info in Spanish

ACTIVITY :The Impressionistic.

Theme: The Impressionistic.

Age group:8 y 9 years Skills to learn:to paint Differentiation:Distinguish impressionist paintings.

Materials:Brushes,tempera,a plastic cup, a cloth to wipe, a palette to mix.

Description of the activity: _To study the caratheristics of impressionistic technique. _To study pictures of different impressionistic painters. _To make copies of the studied pictures.

Link to a video: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU3W5W24PuA&feature=youtu.be

Made by: Amalia Amparo Pérez Ruiz

ACTIVITY: Using class blogs.

Theme: New technologies, digital class, parents communication, activities dissemination.

Age group: Year 1. Suitable for any age group. Older students can post/edit too.

Skills to learn: Communication, learning to work autonomously, collaborative work.

Differentiation: Adapted to any kind of students. Videos with subtitles for hearing impaired students.Talented students can post with the help of the teacher in this group.

Materials: Laptop, internet, a google account.

Description of the activity: The class teacher (or specialist teacher) creates a blog in blogger or Wordpress. Videos, news, articles of interest for the subject can be posted and emailed to the students’ families.

This way parents will follow their students learning path, they will be able to practice with them at home in a game-like way. Students are highly motivated to show their parents in tablets the things they’ve done at school. Parents peak through this ”keyhole” what the students are doing in the classroom and can make comments to their children at home..

They also can make comments in the blog.

All students must have parental permissión to appear in photos and/or videos.

Link to a video: http://myfirstlabtybarra.blogspot.com.es/

Made by: Carmela Moreno and Year 1 students

ACTIVITY: Building!

Theme: Acrosport Gymnastics. Collaborative work.

Age group: ten-twelve Skills to learn: collaborative work, gymnastic skills, networking, decision making, safety in sports, safety in the internet.

Differentiation: Less able students will do easier figures adapted to their skills, and more advanced students will do more complex figures or exercises.

Materials: internet, laptops, sportswear, pads, music player and a want to have fun ;) Description of the activity: In groups, the students have to do project about acrosport. The aim is to show a final performance. It has several parts, in which the student must work in groups: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Research work on acrosport. Making decisions about music, figures and transitions to perform.

Training figures and transitions.

Connect figures and transitions with music.

Training the final performance.

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Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVYETRmexDE&feature=youtu.be Made by: 6th grade pupils. Teacher: David Porrino Pérez.

ACTIVITY: Me, you, us.

Theme: Mental Calculation Age group: 8 year olds, 2nd grade. Also any grade.

Skills to learn: To improve mental calculation. To associate addition to substraction.

Differentiation: Materials: cardboard, paper sheets and pencils.

Description of the activity: Per three players you need 10 squared cardboard pieces, In each piece of cardboard you write a numbre, from 0 to 9. Display this cardboard pieces on the table, the number facing down.It is played in threes, one child is the Captain.Two players are sitting down face to face, and pick up a card at the same time. Without looking at it they show them to the Captain, who says the result of the addition of the two numbers. The players turn up the card, and have to guess the other player’s number. The winner takes both cards. This way, the students complete the additions in their minds, and link this process to the subtraction of them. The one who wins several times and shows to have a good mental calculation becomes the Captain.

The game finishes when the cards are over. The player who gets more cards is the winner. The third player says the results of adding all the cards.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhE4ktyzNX0&t=23s Made by: Pepi Caraballo Caraballo and year 5 students

ACTIVITY: Theme: Reading Project Age group: 7 and 11 years Skills to learn: sharing responsibilities, reading together, being aware about someone younger.

Differentiation: We use different levels of readings books depending of the children needs and older students adapt their reading rhythm to the youngest student comprehension level Materials: Books and worksheets about reading comprehension.

Description of the activity: We work together the six and the second grade of Primary Education. We started last year when the younger students came into the Primary Education. The most of them couldn´t read, so older students were reading tales to them. We have set a system of students sponsorship. So they work in couples, always the same students together. This school year the most of the younger students(grade 2) can read, so they share reading roles.

The Project also include family meetings. At least 2 per school year. We organize a b reakfast all together in the school cantine.

Link to a video:https:/youtu.be/egvYHICDEpU Made by: Carolina Álvarez Burgos. CEIP Tomás Ybarra. Spain

ACTIVITY : Seville´s tiles .

Theme: Seville´ s tiles of Real Alcázar.

Age group: 8 y 9 year old. 3rd or 4th grade.

Skills to learn: attention,observation.

Differentiation.: different tiles of Seville·s Real Alcázar (Royal Palace) Materials: paper, colours (paint, felts, crayons…), photographs, pencil.

Description the activity: -I choose six differents tiles from the tiles of Seville’s Real Alcázar.

-I complete the tile model given in one paper, working the symmetry, the observation and the attention, by applying the same colour that the original tile has.

-We visit Seville’s Real Alcázar, and the students must find the tiles they’ve previously worked on.

-Before we start the activity in class: . With the collaboration of two expert mothers. They make an exhibition about the history and how tiles were made. . We work with the palace maps in class, in order to locate the different living rooms that Real Alcázar has and to study their names.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqWe9aaRuCo&feature=youtu.be

Made by: Amalia Amparo Pérez Ruiz and year 4 students.

ACTIVITY: WE’RE LOOKING AT A PAINTING Theme: Art. Spanish language.

Age group: 7 year old.

Skills to learn: Reading, writing, speaking to an audience, drawing, team and autonomous work.

Differentiation: Fast learners look for further information of the artist. Slow learners takes easier tasks in order to success.

Materials: A notebook, worksheets for the cover and b/w copies of the paintings, printer, paints, coloured pencils, felts… Card, canvas, etc.

Description of the activity: 1.The teacher introduces 5 artists and form 5 groups that will work collaborative. Each group chooses an artist: Frida Khalo, Kandinsky, Dalí, Klimt, Goya) 2. All members make a research about the artist by surfing the net, looking up at magazines, books… And they explain all the information to the class. 3. They choose a painting from the ”Creativity Box” (filled of material to copy) and create their own version of it. 4. Exhibition to the families in the classroom, students wear artist customs. 5. Visit to the Modern Art Andalusian Centre.

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=nhgwyi47VHs&video_referrer=watch

Made by: Diana Vega and 2nd grade students.

ACTIVITY: Golden and Silver Trees Theme: Art Age group: 7 year old Skills to learn: To show the seasonal changing of trees using cold and warm colours, trying out graphical manipulative technics and using salvaged materials.

Differentiation: Not required Materials: (The autumn tree) IWB, photocopies with the shape of a bare tree, crayons, cardboard, red and yellow tempera, cotton buds, paper plates. (The Christmas tree) For the jar: baby food jar, scissors, coloured cloth, tile adhesive, paintbrushes, plastic golden little stars, florist sponge, moss. For the tree: green cardboard, wooden sticks, coloured stickers, glitter, adhesive golden stars, white tulle ribbon, tile adhesive, paintbrushes, golden styrofoam stars, hot glue, scissors. (The winter tree) grey cardboards, shape of a bare tree to be used on the grey cardboard, sheets of paper (light-blue, blue, silver), glue stick, paper lace (the one used for cakes), punch (snowflake shape).

Description of the activity:

Using PVA glue every student covers the surface of the empty jar with small pieces of coloured cloth, which have been previously cut. Then they stick some small golden stars made of plastic. The teacher fixes a cube of florist sponge inside the jar using hot glue.

Every student fills in the empty spaces with moss as to create a solid base. Following the instructions provided by the teacher, using paper folding techniques, every student makes his own tree from the green cardboard (tutorial video: www.handimania.com).After that they stick the tree decorations (glitter, stickers, golden stars, other shapes ect).

Inside each tree they put a wooden stick. Using the stick they create a hole on the top of the tree. On the top of the stick the teacher fixes the white tulle ribbon (which has been knotted) and finally, with hot glue, fixes a styrofoam star covered with glitter. The tree is put inside the jar and it’s fixed into the florist sponge at the bottom of the jar.

Made by: Selimbeni Elena

ACTIVITY: Time Orienteering Theme:

History

Age group: 6 year old Skills to learn: : time orienteering (days, weeks, months, seasons, years), different ways to measure the time Differentiation: Not required Materials: posters, paper, colours.

Description of the activity: Description of the activity: This activity helps the children in time orienteering. The activity lasts some lessons. Every day a child put a tag on the poster to show the right date, and the weather conditions. On the poster students also write the important events of the day (happened at school and in the world). To help the children to understand better the rhythm of the days the pupils can sing a doggerel that connects a colour to a different day .At the end of the month the teacher collects all the information about the events in chronological order. Based on the Montessori’s method the birthday of each student is celebrated as follow: the teacher puts the 12 wooden tiles in a circle , (they represent the months), in the middle there is a candle that represents the sun and the false cake. The celebrated chid turn around for each year of his/her life, tells something about his/her life and lights a candle on the false cake . The wooden tiles have different colours, each colour symbolizes a season and on these tiles there are some natural elements typical of the season.

Made by: Giunta Marisa, Maida Valentina, Milani Nicoletta, Miola Catia

ACTIVITY: The British Isles Theme:

Geography (CLIL)

Age group: 12-13 year old Skills to learn: Talking about likes and dislikes, talking about the weather, asking for and giving directions and opinions, asking for information Differentiation: Not required Materials: posters, computers, books, magazines, videos, internet Description of the activity: In groups, students had to create and organize posters on the subject. then they had to ask and answer

questions to explain what the poster was about.

Then students were invited to work in small groups to summarize the main features of the uk and ireland. oral discussion and spidergram with a list of keywords. each group had to choose a leader to give an oral presentation of their own project work in front of the class.

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Made by: Loprieno Claudia, Cosi Valentina

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ACTIVITY: The season throught Art Theme:

Art

Age group: 5 years old year old Skills to learn: Getting closer to the Art language and understanding the constituent and creative aspects of “La caduta delle foglie/the falling off leaves” by Vincent Van Gogh Differentiation: Not required Materials: paint, collage paper, felt-pens, hands, glue, leaves, sawdust.

Description of the activity:

Main steps/how to do: Read the picture for deconstructing the painting to understand different image levels/planes. Prepare the painting background using short quickly directional brush strokes. Paint the background again with other colours and crossing brush strokes. Look at the autumnal colours: dark yellow, brown, orange…. Now you can put on others element like trees and character using natural materials (for example: smashed leaves for understanding the changing shape and handled sawdust for understanding the changing of wood. You can use acrylic and oil paint for giving texture in some places.

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Made by: Martegani Gabriella, Mazzetti Susanna

ACTIVITY: These unknow vegetables Theme:

Physical and expressive area, linguistic area.

Age group: 4-5 year old Skills to learn: Exploration and experimentation activities to develope the perceptive and sensorial abilities. Promote an healty nutrition introducing a lot and different kind of vegetables in the daily diet, starting from the knowledge throught handling, preparing, tasting and using creatively them.

Materials: Fresh vegetables.

Description of the activity:

Look, recognize and name different kind of vegetables. Blindfolded children recognize vegetables with touch, smell and taste. Make a poster with “most liked” or “not liked” food. Realize faces, characters, landscapes with food that children have.

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Made by: Parise- Saporiti- Pezzi- Cantù- Martegani-Mezzetti

ACTIVITY: Let us “Arcimboldi”!

Theme:

Art

Age group: 7 year old Skills to learn: Observe and analyze a work of art focusing on its main elements and its aims.

Revise masterpieces in creative and personal ways.

Materials: Interactive board, books, crayons, magazines, newspapers, scissors, glue.

Description of the activity: Students observe on the interactive whiteboard the work of art “Autumn” by the painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Autumn belongs to a series of paintings called “The four seasons”. (picture 1). Students colour the painting with white and black crayons. (picture 2). Students copy a “still live” picture with Autumn fruit . Students look for fruit images, pictures and photos into magazines and newspapers in order to make a collage. This collage has to represent a face. Each student receives a poster where there’s a face. On this poster they have to paste pieces of paper to make a face . (picture 3).All the students’ works are hung on the classroom’s walls. (picture 4)

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Made by: Salimbeni Elena

ACTIVITY: The colour Theme:

Art

Age group: 9 year old Skills to learn: Transform images and materials to obtain creative solutions.

Differentiation: Not required Materials: posters, watercolour.

Description of the activity:

Photos’ Descriprions (photos 1 and 2): children draw the sea waves on paperboards, then they cut them and paste them on white posters. They make the shape of a fish on a white piece of paper, they cut it and they decorate it in white and colourful stripes. They prepare stones and waterplants to decorate the sea. (Photos 3 and 4). They observe and try to revise “The big wave” by the great Japanese painter Hokusai using watercolours. Students learn and understand that water and waves are the outline of Fuji Mountain, the Japanese volcano 37786 metres high.

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Made by: Simona Busato, Lattuada Mariagrazia

ACTIVITY: English song Theme:

English language

Age group: 13/14 year old Skills to learn: listening – to be able to compare words from a Germanic language to words from a Latin one – how to use dictionaries Differentiation: Not required Materials: You-tube downloads – cd player – photocopy - IWB Description of the activity:

We listened to the song as the final step of a much more complicated activity. We started by studying and defining the English language all over the world, underlining the importance of this language and facing briefly the main form of “Englishes”. Then we took into consideration the main step of the development of the English Language (main features of Old English, Middle English and Modern English).

While concentrating our attention on “Germanic Languages”, I found the double version (English and Spanish) of the song mentioned in the title (“All of me” by John Legend) and we all worked together on the differences between “Latin” (Spanish) words and “Germanic” (English) words.

We listened to the song filling the gaps of the text (provided in photocopy), then the students worked on their own as far as the translation is concerned. Then we listened to the Spanish version and we compared the two versions, working on differences and similarities between Spanish, English and Italian (of course) words.

Link to a video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3oD_LnKEg8

Made by: Frassati Maria

ACTIVITY: Voicing Theme:

Music

Age group: 12 year old Skills to learn: Knowledge and classification of musical instruments Differentiation: Not required Materials: different kinds of recycle objects, glue, elastics, bottle caps, different materials. Use of mobile phone.

Description of the activity: 1) Introduction to the birth of the first musical instruments, made with everyday objects (stones, vases, taut skins, pipes, etc.) 2) Listening and viewing on the internet of ethnic instruments and subdivision of categories: idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, chordophenes. 3) The students make instruments with recycled objects: using rice and yogurt cups; sticks and bottle caps; containers of eggs with chopsticks; plastic boxes with elastics. 4) Pupils are divided into groups. Each group creates a story and decides where to place the sounds made with their instruments or downloaded from the Internet via mobile phone.

Made by: Rossi Milena

ACTIVITY: Welcome and Acquaintance Theme:

(Italian) language

Age group: 11 years old Skills to learn: Know themselves and their own personality. Know the main rules to keep towards the environment.

Materials: paper, tracing paper, felt pens, crayons, string, clothes pegs

Description of the activity: Step 1: Students are asked to draw an identity card. They have to write their own information and their physical features. They put their fingerprint and the chilndren’s mayor’s signature.

Step 2: Puzzle with students’ information.

Students make their identity card divided in pieces like a jigsaw or puzzle Step 3: With the letters of their names students are invited to describe their personality in a funny way.

Step 4: Students collect their nicknames to better describe their person.

Step 5: Students draw and paint two objects: one for their personality contained in a frame. The other object has to be referred to their ambitions and it must be drawn like a gift where students can find an object they would like to receive.

Step 6: Students draw two bags: one for merits and the other for faults. They make a list of personal merits and faults and they write them down in the bags.

Step 7: Psychological map of their feelings: in the middle of a sheet students will draw a heart and around it they will make many circles. Inside each circle, they are invited to write the names of friends or relatives they love most. They will make the same activity with places they like.

Step 8: students have to put all their activities on a decorated poster.

Step 9-10: posters are hung on the classroom’s walls and all the students are invited to summarize the activity.

Made by: Parolo Anna Giulia

ACTIVITY: Word Class Safari Theme: Language learning through different physical activities Age group: 11+ Skills to learn: collaboration, grammar, motoric skills Differentiation: The teacher forms groups so the pupils can help each other.

Materials: Laminated letters, a big and soft letter and number dice, Safari Cards (a sheet with empty boxes for adjectives, verbs and nouns), pencils, 10 cones, a ball (handball/baseball) Description of the activity: The teacher prepares 6 posts.

The pupils work in groups of two. Each group has a Safari Card and a pencil.

1. Throw with the dice with letters. Think about a word that begins with the letter (adjective, noun or verb). Place the word in the right word class and write it in your Safari Card.

2. Overthrow and raise cones with your bottom: 5 cones cones per person.

3. Cards with letters lie upside down. The pupils take two letters and try to form a word, where both of the letters are part of. The word is written in the Safari Card.

4. Both pupils lie on their tummy. Taking turns the pupils raise up and lie down on their back, raise up and lie down on their tummy etc. This will be done 10 times.

5. Throw with a letter-dice. Form a word with the number of letters shown by the dice. Place the word under the right word class in your Safari Card. If you throw 1, you are free to choose the number of letters.

6. Stand with your backs against each other. One person holds a ball. Bring the ball to the right and give it to your partner behind your back (the partner twists his/her upper body towards right to receive the ball). Then the ball is led to the left. This is repeated 10 times.

The pupils start in any post and continue to next until they have collected 20 words in their Safari Card. It is recommended that every second activity is a physical one.

Link to a video: https://vimeo.com/147842089 Made by: Susanne Jensen, Nordre Skole, Denmark

ACTIVITY: The Great Explorers Theme: Pupils as active and creative learners when studying about the explorers throughout the history.

Age group:11+ Skills to learn: ICT-skills, collaboration, thinking, presentation, historical awareness Differentiation: Teacher organizes the groups so all are challenged according to their skills.

Materials: Computer (internet), books from the library, pen and paper Programmes: Power point or alike, Pixton for making comics https://www.pixton.com/ Description of the activity: We start with a brainstormin class: What does it mean “to explore”? Do you know any explorers?

The teachers prepares a sheet with pictures of famous explorers. Pupils work in groups of two and try to find the names of the explorers in the internet. One sheet is placed on the wall and the pupils run to the sheet and write the names of the explorers. In the end we look at it together: Did we get it right? When did these explorers live? What did they find?

The teachers forms groups with 3-4 pupils in each group. The groups choose an explorer they want to study about. The teachers presents the questions that the pupils need to find out about: Who is the explorer? Where does he come from? When did he live? What was his motivation? What did he find?

What did this exploration mean to his country/Europe? What did it mean to people that lived in the area that he explored?

The goals: The pupils need to STUDY about the explorer, MAKE A PRESENTATION answering the questions above and MAKE A COMIC STRIP - kind of a historicl scenario - where they imagine a situation in the explorer´s life.

Finally, the pupils do the presentations and show the comic strips and give each other feed back. The teacher evaluates the progress of the work and whether each group has reached the goals. ‘

Link to an example of a comic strip: https://Pixton.com/dk/:udvcg6mt Made by: Elisa Haaparanta, Nordre Skole, Viborg-Denmark

ACTIVITY: Teaching democracy through election Theme: Teaching the pupils about the democracy and how it works.

Age group: 12+ Skills to learn: Citizenship skills: democratic understanding and the rules for elections.

Differentiation: The activity can be done in different variations by changing the rules and the design. You can also do small events related to politics during the elections in your country.

Materials: Creativity, election-setup-materials from the real election in your local area.

Description of the activity: Before the activity you will have to explain the pupils the procedures for elections in the country where you live.

Then ask the pupils to choose some social issues that they care much about. The pupils will then investigate, which political party they agree most concerning this issue. The day before your election day, you give the pupils an election card. They have to bring this card to the site of elections, in order to be allowed to vote.

Arrange the classroom as it is in the real election for adults. Contact the place where you would vote in the real-life elections and ask if you can borrow some of their equipment. On the election day, ask the head teacher to make a short speech about the democracy/elections, and declare the election open. Make sure to show that the ballot box is empty. This is to show the pupils how serious a fair election is in democracy.

You choose a group of pupils to be election officials and to do the practical parts of the election (counting votes, handing out ballots ect.)

Each student gets a ballot when they hand in their election card and they can go to vote.

In the end of the day, the election will be closed officially by the head teacher or a local politician. The votes will be counted and the result will be revealed by the election officials.

Made by: Kamilla H. Palbjørn-Søgaard and Ina Elsborg Poulsen, Nordre Skole Denmark

ACTIVITY: Let´s Get Talking!

Theme: Practising language skills through games and activities Age group: 10-12 (the activities can be adjusted to any age group) Skills to learn: Oral language skills and collaboration skills Differentiation: Pupils work in groups and can help one another Materials: Laminated games, questions, interview cards and pictures, eg. from these sites www.twinkl.co.uk; www.islcollective.com; www.mes-english.com

Description of the activity: Form groups of 4-5 pupils in each. Prepare 8 posts with activities, where the goal is to encourage pupils to use their oral language skills. After 10 minutes in each post, the teacher rings a clock and the pupils move to the next post. You can also let the students finish one post and then move to the next one.

When forming the groups, it´s important that each group have at least one pupil with strong language skills, so he/she can help the other group members. I used different websites to find spoken activities (links above) and laminated the tasks for later use. I also had some extra games in hand in case the groups were ready with the tasks after 1,5 hours. My role was to circle between the groups and help when it was needed.

Link to a video: https://vimeo.com/200972858 Made by: Elisa Haaparanta, Nordre Skole, Viborg-Denmark

ACTIVITY: Egg Hunt - Teaching Language Skills with QR-codes Theme: QR-codes are used to motivate the pupils to practice their German language skills and to get exercise into German class. The goal is to get the pupils to train their oral German language skills while trying to find the “Eggs” with QR-codes.

Age group: 10 + Skills to learn: Language skills. The pupils will practice their oral language skills.

Differentiation: Teacher plans the activity to fit the skills and age of the children Materials: QR-code prints, small plastic containers, smart phones Description of the activity: The teacher makes questions relevant for the subject or theme of the class. The questions will be transferred into QR-codes eg. using this link: http://dk.qr-code-generator.com/#info_logo The teacher prints the QR-codes and fit them into boxes. Here we used the orange eggs inside the “Kinder Egg” as they are made of plastic and in this way the activity can be used both indoor and outdoor. The boxes are spread around, but they should be quite easy to find so the students don´t miss their motivation.

The goal is that the pupils have to find the boxes, open them and scan the codes with their smartphones. A question/sentence will show on the screen. The pupils answer/talk about the question/sentence. When they are ready, they move on to the next box and in that way they continue until they have found all the “eggs”.

In language classes it’s recommended that the questions lead to discussion, interview or other form of oral communication, so that the pupils can practice their pronunciation and spoken language skills.

Goals: Make the pupils reflect on certain themes using their language skills; Include exercise as a part of the teaching; The pupils realize that the phone can be a tool of learning.

Made by: Karina Böttger Møldrup, Nordre Skole

ACTIVITY: Crazy Coil Pots Theme: Fantasy Coil Pots Age group: 8 – 12 + Skills to learn: Pottery skills – how to form coil sausages and apply them into the base, how to smoothen, colour and fire the clay pots. Planning skills.

Differentiation: Each child works according to their skills.

Materials: Clay, water, colours for clay, brushes, oven to fire the clay pots Description of the activity: Soak small lumps of clay in water. Then knead them to a slip to a consistency as fromage. Use a lump of clay of the size of a ping-pong ball for the base. Roll it so it is a sphere first, then hit it with the base of your hand 4 times, turn it over and hit it again 4 times with the base of your hand. Keep doing this until the base has reached the desired size and thickness.  Regular coil sausages: Roughly the size of little finger.  Knarleys: Roll out a thin coil. Apply the slip to one side and then roll it up into a kearney. Smoothen the knarleys to the pot using a bit of slip.  Beads: Roll out clay into small beads and dip them in the slip. When mounting them, wiggle them a bit almost like a rocking tooth.  Spirals: Roll a coil sausage and flatten it a bit with your hand. Then twist it gently into a spiral by rolling forward with one hand and backwards with the other.  Braids: Make braids with three thin coil sausages and add them into the pot  Small sticks. Pieces cut from a string, then smoothened together with the slip.  Snake coils: Form coils in the shape of a snake and add them into your pot.

Let the jars stand for a while to dry and cure. Then follow the instructions in your own school for coloring, glace and firing in the clay oven.

Link to a webpage: http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2013/10/21/how-tomake-a-coil-pot/ Made by: Mie Kvist Selchau, Nordre Skole Viborg, Denmark

ACTIVITY: Calm Down – Our Very Own Mandala Painting Book Theme:

Use Mandalas as a way to learn to calm down and to concentrate.

Age group:

9-10 years old

Skills to learn:

Learn to concentrate when working alone. Learn to know, who you can concentrate with in the class when working in groups. Learn to describe with words how you feel when you are concentrated. Learn about Mandalas and their usage.

Differentiation:

Each child produces the Mandalas according to their skills.

Materials:

- For Nature-Mandalas: things to be found in the nature, Ipads - For drawing Mandalas: pencils and rubber, black felt pens, a caliper, colours, paper

Description of the activity: We started the activity by trying to find the calmness within ourselves – the place, where our breathing was calm and stable. The place, where we felt relaxed and where everything felt good. We talked about, whether that was something all people can do – or perhaps we all should practice finding that place within ourselves?

Thereafter the children formed their own Calm Down-groups.

After each lesson, the children should briefly reflect about their experiences in their Calm Down-logbook.

We taught the children about the history of Mandalas that have been known for almost 15.000 years. We taught about the symbols for different concepts or state of mind, where the symbol of heart is perhaps the strongest and most well known.

We have colored Mandalas and displayed them. We have been out in the nature to form Nature-Mandalas, taken photos with the IPads and presented them for each other. In the end, we have designed our own Mandalas while we have listened to calm music or to a story.

Made by: Pupils in classes 3a+ b, Stephan and Jytte from Nordre School´s SFO

ACTIVITY: Brainstorm through exercise Theme: Generating ideas and thoughts through an exercise activity.

Age group: 10+ Skills to learn: Develop your brainstorming skills.

Differentiation: This activity can be used in any classes, depending of the theme. Each pupil work within their skills.

Materials: Computers or pen and paper Description of the activity: We often use brainstorm to find ideas and thoughts for a question when beginning to work with a new theme. When making a brainstorm, it’s often hard to keep the ideas and thoughts coming. Using the hormones released in the brain while exercising, can make the brainstorm easier and have a better flow.

The classroom is cleared from tables. The pupils place their computers or pen and paper in one end of the class. In the other end, the pupils stand in teams of two and help each other with the brainstorm.

The teacher reveals the question that the pupils will have to brainstorm about. One by one, the pupils run to the other end of the classroom. When there, they write down a sentence or a word regarding the question, run back and let the other member of the team to take the next run.

In the end, the teacher can follow up with a common brainstorm for the whole class.

Purpose of this kind of brainstorm is to: - Make the quality of the brainstorms better - Use exercise as a tool of teaching - Make the pupils feel that they can develop ideas Made by: Kamilla H. Palbjørn-Søgaard, Nordre Skole Denmark

Made by: Kamilla Holse Palbjørn-Pedersen, Nordre Skole Denmark

ACTIVITY: Birthday Calender- interdiciplinary activities Theme: Paint a self-portrait and practice math, English language and presentation.

Age group: 8+ Skills to learn: Painting skills, presentation skills, math skills (day, date, month, year, position), language skills, and observation skills Differentiation: The teacher chooses the activities best fit to the age/skills of the pupils. The activity can be done in mother tongue only or as an interdisciplinary activity including Art, Math and English.

Materials: For Art class: paper, pencil, eraser, crayons, mirror Facial Proportions by DGFMSart: https://youtu.be/DD4Mmw85BlA For English class: videos, songs and worksheets about days, months and ordinal numbers Days of the week by Pingfong : https://youtu.be/oXdKqUnnhWg Months of the year by Singing Walrus: https://youtu.be/Fe9bnYRzFvk Ordinal numbers by Mr R: https://youtu.be/0CWWNzprEQ4

Description of the activity: In art class we talked about portraits and saw some examples of portraits. We talked about the facial proportions and how to work with help lines. Pupils were handed a piece of paper, pencils and mirrors and they made sketches of their faces. The final portraits were drawn and coloured on a paper size A5. I asked the pupils to leave about 5cm from the bottom of the paper for the date and month. The background was coloured with bright colour of their choice. I laminated the paintings.

In English class we repeated days of the week, months and numbers. I introduced cardinal numbers in English. We trained the cardinal numbers both orally and in written form, by moving around and singing songs. I asked the pupils to take their self-portraits and place themselves in the right order according to their birthday.

The pupils prepared a presentation about themselves in English including their name, age, date of birth, family, hobbies, favourite animal and favourite food.

Finally, the self-portraits were hung on the wall of the classroom as a birthday calendar to remind the pupils of their birthdays.

Made by: Elisa Haaparanta, Nordre Skole, Viborg - Denmark

ACTIVITY: Animation Film with Stop Motion and Silk Clay Figures Theme: Animation Age group: 10-11 year olds Skills to learn: Forming ideas, planning, collaboration, ICT-skills, art skills (clay, drawing) Differentiation: As the pupils work in groups of 3-5, the roles can be divided according to skills Materials: FIGURES: Black and white Silk Clay, alu wire, styropor balls in different sizes; THE SCENES: Carboard, crayons and blue tac; FILM: Ipad with Stop Motion and Imovie. We also used big cardboard boxes for the scenes and lamps. Post its for storyboard.

Description of the activity: Pupils watch some examples of animation films made by using Stop Motion-app. In groups, they brainstorm ideas for the film. They use post its for storyboard and decide what figures and scenes are needed. Teacher gives instructions of how to work with Silk Clay. Pupils form imaginary animals and draw background scenes. Teacher shows how to use Stop Motion-app. Pupils work with their films. The voices/effects are added using Imovie. The films had world premiere in the class.

Link to a video: https://vimeo.com/200163704 Made by: Elisa Haaparanta and pupils i 4a, Nordre Skole

ACTIVITY: Story telling using movements to develop language skills.

Theme: Language skills Age group: 3-8 years old Skills to learn: Develop vocabulary Differentiation: Number of movements can be varied to suit various abilities.

Materials: Story map (e.g picture sequencing of the story)

Description of the activity: Pupils learn to re-tell stories out loud with their classmates so that the writing process will flow with confidence. Actions are being introduced/developed by the children when the story is first being told by the teacher. Then, slowly we repeat sections of the story several times so that the children become accustomed to the phrases and language patterns. After several sessions repeating these patterns the whole class can recite the language pattens for traditional stories such as ’The Gingerbread man, Three Little Pigs, The Little Red Hen and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Pie Corbett who has written several books about this method of teaching believes that ”If a child can’t say it, they can’t write it.”

This method is often used in the early years in Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd (ages 3-7) especially to develop their Welsh vocabulary, language patterns and sentences.

(There are many examples of Pic Corbett on You Tube telling the stories)

photo Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvJZD-cplg Made by: Gwennan Griffith, Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd, Wales

ACTIVITY: Mood Mwd Theme: Emotional intelligence Age group: 3-8 years Skills to learn: Develop vocabulary to describe emotions Differentiation: Differentiated books to support Materials: Gem and Huw puppets and reading books Description of the activity:

Developed by a local mother and teacher Gemma Hughes, Mood Mwd is a bilingual product to help develop children’s emotional intelligence. We have all seen when children have difficulty expressing how they feel in a positive way, and this product offers a way for children to learn the vocabulary to express how they feel, empathise with others and communicate their feelings effectively. It is a way to show how fun and easy social and personal education can be. It is proven that children with a better understanding of their emotions display regular positive behaviour. As well as this, the product develops emotional intelligence which is critical for the success of our children’s education and future work life.

Link to a video: https://youtu.be/rqwOoaFg5vI Made by: Gwil Prydderch

ACTIVITY: Kung Fu Punctuation!

Theme: Language skills (can also be used cross-curricular) Age group: 3-11 (Could be used up to GCSE also).

Skills to learn: Develop punctuation skills Differentiation: Punctuation moves are differentiated to suit your learners. Independent punctuation marking is also differentiated.

Materials: Kung Fu music, short paragraph that is written with very little punctuation, Kung Fu posters, Kung Fu Punctuation moves.

Description of the activity. First of all, each class should practice the Kung Fu Punctuation Moves by standing up and the teacher will shout out the chosen punctuation for your class.

Kung Fu (music from Kung Fu Panda) will also be played in the background. This task can also be used as game such as boys V’s girls etc and see who recognises their punctuation best.

Following on from this introduction, there will be a short passage (sentences is more than ample for younger children) on the IWB. The passage will have very little punctuation.

Learner’s must decide as a whole class which punctuation marks are missing. Learner’s will use the Kung Fu moves to show where the punctuation will be. You as a teacher can decide who reads the passage (whole class, groups, individuals etc). When the punctuation marks have been chosen correcly, read the passage together and use Kung Fu moves to show any punctuation.

The third part of this activity is independent work. Learner’s will use a red pen and wear their special glasses to mark a piece of writing. They will use your school’s marking code to mark the work such as a square to show capital letters etc. The learner’s are the teachers in this activitiy.

THERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE POSTERS BELOW AS WELL AS A PIECE OF WRITING FOR INDEPENDENT WORK. THERE IS ALSO A VIDEO OF YEAR 4 CHILDREN RESPONDING TO KUNG FU MOVES ON OUR CLASS TWITTER (@MissHughesMRh).

Link to music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H5wtB_F7Q .

Link to a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H5wtB_F7Q .

YEAR 4 CHILDREN RESPONDING TO KUNG FU MOVES ON OUR CLASS TWITTER (@MissHughesMRh).

Made by: Miss Sioned Alaw Hughes, Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd, Wales Moorfa Rhianedd, Wales

BYDSI – check a piece of writing for correct punctuation.

LLEW - Wear your magic hat and your special glasses to check the following paragraphs for punctuation mistakes. Use MRH’s marking code.

some inventions have been in place for thousands of years, and some are being created and developed every day. i must say, if I had the chance to be an inventor i would most definitely create a ‘get out of bed’ machine As I’m not the greatest morning person around…i thought that this invention would be perfect this outstanding machine would lift my bed up straight from the floor at 7:00am sharp and the radio would turn itself on automatically. the comfortable sheets would fall to the floor whilst a warm heavenly shower would turn itself on above me. after the bubbly shower, this fabulous machine would dry my wet skin and ask me to open my arms as wide as possible In a flash, i would be dressed and ready to go downstairs for my breakfast!

Doesn’t this machine sound magnificent walking down the steep steps can be a chore in the morning Therefore, why walk when you could have a slide There is no doubt that this genius machine would create a blow up slide from my bed to the kitchen table where a large bowl of delicious cereal and a juicy orange juice will be waiting for me. how fantastic! this machine would not only ensure that i am a morning person, but would also make getting out of bed enjoyable

ACTIVITY: Headsprout Theme: Reading Age group: 5,6,7 & 8 years old (or non/beginner readers older than 8) Skills to learn: English reading, takes non-readers to readers above their age.

Differentiation: Pre-test children to start them on an appropriate level.

Materials: iPad/PC that has internet access and speakers/headphones.

Description of the activity – Building reading skills in early years is vital for a lifetime of success. Headsprout is an online childrens reading program for year 2-3 students that provides teachers and parents with one adaptive, individualized reading solution.

The program is designed to tailor its instruction to the needs and learning pace of every student. Its patented research-based teaching methods have been tested and verified in real classroom environments to improve childrens' reading skills at various reading levels, from non-readers and early readers to established readers already reading above their grade level.

What truly sets Headsprout apart from other online reading programs is its one-of-a-kind scaffolded teaching approach that automatically adapts so every student receives the individualized practice and instruction they need. With Headsprout, children learn to read and read to learn. Early readers interact with engaging online episodes and read printable eBooks designed to instill key reading fundamentals like phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and beginning comprehension. Once readers have demonstrated a solid grasp of the basics, they move on to episodes created to teach the four primary components of reading comprehension: finding facts, making inferences, identifying themes, and learning vocabulary in context.

This year, children are using Headsprout at home aswell as in school, and it really is making a difference. The ’manage students’ tool from the teachers view is useful to see which children read often at home!

Link to a video: https://www.headsprout.com/

Made by: Miss Carwen Mair Roberts, Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd, Wales Moorfa Rhianedd, Wales

ACTIVITY: Go Noodle Theme: Balance, movement, coordination skills (can also be used cross-curricular as a warmup activity for P.E lessons for example) Age group: 3-18 Skills to learn: Develop coordination skills Differentiation: by outcome Materials: any device that has speakers and is linked to the internet

Description of the activity – Go Noodle is a website that gives you access to numerous activities such as breathing, coordination, dancing, stretching, balance, tounge twisters etc. These activities can be played on a big screen so that your children can follow and copy professionals on the screen. Each video is easy to follow and we particularly like the ’Zumba’ and ’Kids Bop’ section here in year 4.

These different can be use to motivate your children at the beginning of a lesson if they have been sitting down in assembly for a long time. You could also use these videos in the middle of a lesson when you see your children getting a little unsettled. Another idea is to use them when it’s ’wet playtime’ or as a treat for behaving well during a lesson.

There are also great videos on the website for warming up and cooling down during physical eduaction lessons.

You can add as many classrooms to your schol account and it’s all FREE! Sign up, and log in!

Each class can also chose their own ’monster’ and the chidlern can watch the monster grow after each session.

Link to a video: https://www.gonoodle.com/ There is a link on our school’s Twitter/Facebook account if you wish to see some of our pupils enjoying Go Noodle.

Made by: Miss Sioned Alaw Hughes, Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd, Wales Moorfa Rhianedd, Wales

ACTIVITY: Developing motor skills – Finger gym Theme: Physical development Age group: 3-5 years old Skills to learn: Develop fine motor skills Differentiation: Number of movements can be varied to suit various abilities.

Materials: a variety of music (instrumentals only)

Description of the activity: A whole class activity at the start of the school day. Pupils sit togoether on the carpet. One child that is the class helper of the day can stand by the teacher to lead the activity. The music will begin and and the teacher will make various movements with her/his fingers and the whole class will follow. There are also stories such as Mr Wiggle and Mr Waggle that you can retell over and over as the children make the hand and finger movements to tell the story. (see various videos on You tube) The pupils also enjoy using play-dough when doing the finger gym. They can squeeze, bend, pull, push the play dough together in their hand to strengthen their fine motor skills.

See Website such as Galina Doyla- Key to Learing – Vygostky in Action in the Early years.

Made by: Gwennan Griffith, Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd, Wales

ACTIVITY: Emoji Exit Slips Theme: Self-assessment Age group: 7-11 years Skills to learn: Develop self-assessment, and share emotions about tasks Differentiation: Give more able, or older pupils a variety of emojis Materials: Emoji exit slips Description of the activity: At the end of a task, pupils can self assess their work to see what their strengths are and what needs to be developed or practised. The idea behind the ’exit slip’ is that before the pupils exit the classroom, they must self assess their work. There are many ways to do this, and a very effective way is by using emojis. Emojis ar effective as they are fun and recognisable to pupils through their use of mobile phones, and promote self assesing while thinking also about their emotions and feelings.

When filling the exit slip, pupils should circle an emoji that represents how they felt about the task. After choosing the emoji, the pupil explains the choice by describing what they felt went well, or aspects of the work that needs to be improved. This process promotes self reflection, and helps the teacher to understand what has been successful in the lesson, and if there are aspects that need to be reviseted.

Made by: Gwil Prydderch

ACTIVITY: Chilli Assessment Theme: Self-assessment Age group: 7-8 years Skills to learn: Develop self-assessment, Differentiation: Give more able, or older pupils the opportunity to reach the Red Chilli.

Challenge all pupils with regards to learning objectives. Ensure that children with Special Educational Needs are not always restricted with too simplistic learning Objectives.

Materials: Chilli Assessment Chart Description of the activity: During and at the end of tasks, pupils can self assess their work to see what their strengths are and what needs to be developed or practised. The idea behind the ’Chilli Assessment’ is that the pupils chose their own Learning Objective, at their own level. Although, I would usually suggest that one group of children aim for the green chilli first (Special Educational Needs). More able and talented children are expected to reach the Red Chilli in every outcome. In this way, children can learn new skills and challenge themselves rather than completing f.e 30 similar, simple division sums in a lesson. During every lesson we take ’pitstop breaks’ every 15 minutes or so where children feedback to the class with regards to completing a chilli level.

When filling the Chilli exit slip, pupils should circle the chilli that they’ve completed and also comment on their progression in the lesson. This process promotes self reflection, and helps the teacher to understand what has been successful in the lesson. But, most definitely the main purpose of the Chilli Assessment is to challenge all children.

Made by: Carwen Roberts

ACTIVITY: Bouncing fingers Theme: Physical Development Age group: 3-5 years Skills to learn: Skills to help support and develop fine motor skills.

Differentiation: You are able to create different task to suit individuals enabling them to work to their ability.

Materials: tongs, a variety of small objects/ sequence/ counters/ milk bottle tops Description of the activity: One activity that the learners have been taking part in is finding milk bottle tops that have numbers from 0-10 stuck on them. The individuals use the tongs to pick the bottle tops up and place the numbers in the right order. Depending on age and level some indivuals find number from 0-5 whilst others order numbers 0-10 and others 0-20. This activity helps develop the learners fine motor skills as well as their mathematical development.

Another similar task we do is again with bottle tops we have different letters written on the bottle tops. Each individual or pair has a card with a written word on they then use the tongs to find and match the letters in order to create the word. This supports their language skills as well as their fine motor skills.

photo Made by: Bethan Turner

ACTIVITY:LEARNING HIGH FREQUENCY WORDS Theme: LANGUAGE Age group:ALN Skills to learn: letter/word/number recognition Differentiation: letter/word lists Materials: matrix Description of the activity:use 40 cell matrix to write 10 letter/words/numbers for pupils. Give pupil 1 minute to say the letter/word/number in a daily challange. Record number as a continuous assessment .

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Made by: Nia Thomas

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About the project This book is made by students and teachers in six schools in Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Spain, Italy and Wales. It is a part of a joint project "Learn, Create, and Communicate" cofounded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The aim of the project is to improve pupils key competences like cultural awareness and expression, ICT-skills, and communication. We focus on how to teach our pupils to learn in a more creative ways so they can develop their basic academic skills, learn to foster their creativity and to cooperate with others. The reason we focus on creativity and culture is our experience that arts and crafts haven´t been prioritized at schools during the recent years, all though the industry and commerce want people entering employment to show powers of innovation, initiative and problem solving.

The project "Learn, Create and Communicate" will last for three years from 2015 - 2018.

The project aims not only to develop the skills of the pupils but also the skills of the teachers.

All partner schools have worked jointly to produce this book and each school has chosen 10 creative teaching ideas to put into the book so other teacher can learn from it and hopefully use in future. This book will be published on the internet and it will be accessible for all interested in teaching. Together with publishing this book we arranged a Multiplier Event in BrekkuskĂłli in Iceland where we shared our work through practical examples and workshops with teaching professionals beyond our project.

Our goal is that our pupils will develop their basic skills including language competences, and learn to solve problems and tasks in a more creative way. Learning this they will become more proactive, employable and responsible citizens who are able to make a positive contribution to making a better Europe.