Teaching Ideas Archives - Modern Teaching Blog NZ

Deck The halls: 9 Christmas Craft Activities That Bring The Festive!

From wreaths to snow globes, it’s time to get Christmas crafty with these 9 elf-approved activities! While Santa is busy in the North Pole preparing for his big appearance, that’s the cue for all of us down here to plan our festive season arts and crafts. We’ve put our Santa thinking caps on and come

Celebrating Matariki in the Classroom

Haere Mai! Today we’re exploring arts & crafts inspired by Aotearoa New Zealand and the dynamic Māori culture. With some basic supplies, and a few simple steps, you’ll soon have a classroom full of creations inspired by the Land of the Long White Cloud. We’ve got crafts for Matariki, the famous cluster of stars heralding

Ten Frightfully Good Activities For The Spooky Season

Penny Groen

Halloween is such a fun time of year for spooky crafts and activities, with plenty of opportunities to bring out children’s creativity and imagination. From dressing up in costumes and decorating the classroom or home to scavenger hunts, and arts and crafts, there’s something for everyone to have a wickedly good time! Read on for some

Alphabet Letters On Coloured Rice Hex Tray Sorting Activity

5 Educational Ways To Use Your Hex Tray In The Classroom

Heidi Overbye

As an early years teacher, I am always looking for resources that will help my students learn through hands-on experiences. When choosing materials for my classroom, I endeavor to find versatile resources that can be used for multiple purposes.

Using Electricity As An Art Medium

Olivia Siddaway

Visual art lessons have progressed over time, and art educators have pushed beyond the humble papier-mâché pig and into the realm of endless possibilities. A mixture of new mediums and technologies paired with classic favourites, a well-rounded art program can provide students with the necessary skills and tools, to not only become well-developed artists, but

Loose Parts: An Invitation To Play

Mel Ishkhanian

‘Open-ended’, ‘sustainable’, ‘creativity’ and ‘infinite possibilities’ are just some of the words that come to mind when we think about loose parts in play. Loose parts are becoming increasingly popular in early childhood settings and it’s not surprising to consider why. Here at Explore & Develop Narraweena, we have looked to the principles of Reggio

Sphero Shape Activity birds eye view featuring Sphero Bolt & SPRK robotics and 2 students on carpet.

Sphero Bolt And SPRK+ In The Classroom

Eleni Kyritsis

The way we engage our students and support their learning continues to evolve as we move further into the 21st century. There are now many technological tools, resources and applications that can enhance our students’ learning when used to redefine their learning experiences. The Sphero robot is one such tool that has positively enhanced students’

Christmas Craft Images on String Line & Pegs with Christmas themed background

Spark The Christmas Imagination

Olivia Siddaway

Christmas is such a delightful time of the year. The anticipation of this joyous occasion brings such an amazing atmosphere to the art room as the impending holidays approach. Students of all ages embrace the opportunity to create festive-themed pieces that are treasured on trees and shelves in their family homes. With such a wide

Mirrors And Reflections In The Learning Environment

Penny Groen

We see reflected and mirrored images wherever we go. From our own reflections looking back at us in the bathroom mirror or a shop window to the reflections of nature on a still lake or in our car’s rear-view or side mirrors – we are surrounded by reflections! Mirrors and reflections can bring curiosity, fascination

Maths resources displayed on desk, birds eye view

Catching Up On Maths

Dr Paul Swan

Playing Catch-up Teachers and parents have done an incredible job working together to minimise the disruption to children’s schooling this year. Clearly though, the unique circumstances of this year will have us all playing catch-up for some time. For teachers, this means that getting the most value out of your class time and resources has