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Exploring Screen-Free Robotics With KUBO

Kubo Robotics Birds eye view on carpet

Finding the right Digital Technologies resources for your classroom can be tricky, especially when there are so many to choose from. This blog post is going to put a special spotlight on one resource that may help to support your curriculum and engage your young learners. Let me help you take the guesswork out of selecting a robotic resource to support your early years classroom!

Directional sequencing is an important step towards more abstract coding and programming that develops in the higher bands of the Digital Technologies curriculum. The concept of directional sequencing can quite easily be coupled with the Mathematics discipline and the Numeracy General Capabilities. Finding meaningful ways to integrate approaches to learning is a key indicator of working smarter, not harder. But how can we make this meaningful and relevant in an everyday classroom?

Introducing Kubo!

Kubo Robotics Kit on Floor Birds Eye View

 

Kubo is not only a fantastic support for directional sequencing, but it can also be used to extend basic sequencing skills to include iteration. Plus, he’s super cute. Kubo uses unique technology, puzzle-like TagTiles® and colour activity maps to provide playful access to the Digital Technologies curriculum and engaging activities for students.

In my specialist Digital Technologies lessons, I use a range of digital and unplugged resources to approach the concept of sequencing. Providing a range of activities builds comfortability in the discrete skills and capabilities we intend to pass on to students. Kubo is quickly becoming a crowd-favourite activity!

In particular, the ability to record and play back sequences of code has maintained high engagement in our lessons. The activity shown below illustrates a sample line of code that has been created and recorded by the robot. It’s as simple as building the line of code, placing the ‘record’ TagTiles® at the beginning and end and allowing Kubo to roll over the top to memorise the code. Then, simply move your Kubo onto the mat and discover the successes of the sequence. This activity has flexible differentiation, where students can begin with simple lines of code and then continue to extend as their skillset increases to lengthen the code or to include iterations.

 

Kubo Robotics Tagtiles birds eye view

 

A new rotational activity that I’ve been incorporating with my Year 2 classes is called ‘Kubo Challenges’. This includes students using challenge task cards to sequence their Kubo robots to ‘collect’ various items on the town map or reach various alpha-numeric grid references. Students use their iPads and digital portfolios to take video evidence of them completing each challenge task card. This is increasing student ICT General Capabilities and providing an easy way for myself to flick through the various work samples of a large number of students within a cohort. Additionally, publishing this evidence to a digital portfolio provides students with a platform to reflect and build on previous learning experiences.

Incorporating the alpha-numeric grid referencing is also a great way to add value to the lesson by touching on the Numeracy General Capability. Students can refine their understanding of location and transformation and activate prior knowledge of concepts within the Mathematics curriculum. Click here to download a free copy of the challenge cards I use.

 

Kubo Challenge Birds Eye ViewKubo Challenge -side on view

 

I like to partner students up for these Kubo Challenges to encourage teamwork, peer support and resilience. This is an enjoyable rotation for the students to participate in and, better yet, it’s super simple and resourceful to set up each lesson. After investing in a few ‘training lessons’ for the students to understand the procedures, techniques and expected behaviours, this rotational activity now simply runs itself.

Inside the Kubo product box you will receive a range of TagTiles®, Micro-USB charging cord, easy-to-store coloured activity map and the Kubo robotic device. The Micro-USB attachment makes storage while charging very simple and compact. Kubo also have a YouTube channel  with plenty of tutorials for setting up, implementing and extending on coding concepts.

 

Kubo Robotics inside box content

 

Robotics resources may be difficult for schools to fund and in any sense, the robotics need to be respected by all users. A few rules I have my students practise when using the Kubo are:

    • Hold the Kubo with two hands (one on top, one underneath).
    • Walk, don’t run! You might knock over, drop or step on a robot.
    • Do not push and pull the Kubo like a toy car.
    • Always count and place the TagTiles® back in the container neatly.
    • Sharing is caring.
    • Always charge the robot when finished.

Having rules in place for the use of robotics in the classroom will also boost student ownership of the learning experience. Students will develop a respect and appreciation for the resources they are accessing and will show a higher level of focus on the activity in front of them.

Selecting the right robotic device for your classroom can be overwhelming. I recommend checking out the Kubo information and videos available on the MTA website  if you’re interested in giving Kubo a go! Finding resources that support meaningful engagement within the field of Digital Technologies is key for the effective implementation of the curriculum. Find what works for your classroom and I challenge you to find further cross-curricular links you can make with the technology you have. I’m confident you’ll find the best way that works for you, allowing you to share the passion you have for your lessons with your students.

Featured Product

Kubo Coding Core Kit

 

 

About the Author

Taylor is a Specialist Digital Technologies Teacher in a primary school setting. In her five years of teaching, she has found a passion for integrating a range of technologies into her classroom and strives to share these experiences with those around her. Follow Taylor along in her teaching journey on Instagram @taylorteachestech

 

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Loose Parts: An Invitation To Play

Loose parts activity on table BIV

‘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 Emilia to inspire and guide some of our practices. Their use of loose parts provides many wonderful ideas on how to incorporate them into the learning environment and thus our journey into the use of loose parts began.

“The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.”

-Loris Malaguzzi, Founder of the Reggio Emilia Approach

Wooden bowl with jewels stones and shell with child hand square

So what exactly are loose parts? Loose parts are objects or materials that have no particular intended purpose or use. They can be used in a multitude of ways and often rely on the imagination of the individual who is using them. They are usually strategically placed in different areas of the learning environment and are often accompanied by a provocation for learning. When engaging with loose parts, children are encouraged to be creative, inventive, resourceful, innovative and imaginative. Loose parts work well for both individual and group experiences and can be explored both indoors and outdoors. It is important to consider the ways in which you store loose parts to ensure that they are inviting, organised and can be easily packed away for the next use.

Sorting trays full of various loose parts square

Our preschool rooms were some of the first to begin exploring loose parts. We began to recognise that there were a range of loose parts that could be incorporated into play spaces that particularly focused on opportunities for creative expression. Items such as shells, corks, buttons, feathers, bottle tops and leaves were placed in small divider boxes near the art area. These small parts were separated to highlight each individual resource and so that children could easily see what was on offer. The potential for creativity was evident as educators observed the children utilising the same parts to create an array of different masterpieces. This supported our philosophy that art should not necessarily have a defined end but instead be open-ended to encourage children to experiment and explore the possibilities of art. We continue to offer art experiences in this way, and over time have refined the process, at times adding provocations that provoke ideas and imagination. To support this, educators will carefully select items that support this provocation.

It is important to note that the way in which loose parts are placed can make a distinct difference to their use. Having carefully selected resources that are placed in divided or separate spaces ensures that they are visually appealing and do not overwhelm children. This can encourage the notion that each resource possesses its own unique properties and promotes a child’s respect for individual resources. They should also all have a space or place where they belong, as loose parts are designed to be assembled and pulled apart. Having a designated space allows these loose parts to be easily packed away, not only by educators but also by the children, thus empowering them further.

Sensory play activity set up on table Square

Natural objects became a frequent feature of loose part play. These resources were not only easily accessible and sustainable, they also offered many opportunities in play. Natural loose part resources could be collected on a simple nature walk and then added to small world play, used as a point of investigation, used in art experiences or even incorporated into construction. Beyond creativity, we also then began to see these resources as a wonderful way to explore STEM concepts in play. Exploring sticks, stones, shells, leaves and pine cones encouraged children to think about size, shape, matter, volume and even patterning. This also opened up the opportunity to explore transient or ephemeral art; an art system that encourages resources to be assembled into patterns, designs, symmetry, lines or shapes and then pulled apart to create again. Children could spend time considering their creations and then piecing together a design with similar or opposing attributes. We then began to add these to construction which meant our children who love construction would be more likely to use them.

Reaching a wider audience makes a resource more valuable and something we truly believe in at our service. Loris Malaguzzi suggests that children have a hundred languages in which to explore, create and express themselves; open-ended resources such as these encourage children to do exactly that. Through construction, children could use rocks, shells, coloured stones and more to add depth, balance and imagination to their designs. All the while, these children were also using measurement, balance and one-to-one correspondence to extend and build upon mathematical concepts.

Giant Shiny Pebbles In Child's Hands Square

Blocks and jewels standing on mirrored surface square

“A ‘loose-parts’ toy, as Nicholson defined it, is open-ended; children may use it in many ways and combine it with other loose parts through imagination and creativity . . . Nature, which excites all the senses, remains the richest source of loose parts.”

Richard Louv

Pine cones and tree bark in wooden tray with open book display ocean behind square

seashells in wooden tray

While the benefits of loose parts indoors became evident for art, then construction and other forms of creativity, the outdoors soon became a place where loose parts could also be incorporated. When looking to add loose parts items to the outdoors we looked to collaborate with our families and bring along carefully selected items for play.

 

natural loose parts in children's hands Square

 

We invited our families and educators to source pipes, tyres, wood and old pots and pans. This again highlighted the sustainable benefit of using old parts which may otherwise end up in landfill. There were many areas of the outdoor space that these could be added to and they became carefully placed around the yard. The sandpit became a hive of activity with pipes and sieves being added. This challenged the children’s thinking and we observed them being used to fill, tip pour and dig.

 

In other areas of the outdoor space we saw loose parts incorporated into play. Pipes became binoculars, tunnels or robot arms. Pieces of material turned into pirate ship sales, cubby houses, forts and butterfly wings. Pots and pans turned into an entire instrumental band with drums and cymbals, or were added to the mud kitchen for hours of muddy exploration. Loose parts became permanent structures in our outdoor garden as we added old pots and combined pieces of wood to create new garden beds. It was now evident that loose parts were here to stay and they continue to feature in all areas of our learning spaces, used and reused for different experiences.

Pots and pans hanging from wooden frame in garden

If you are beginning your journey into loose parts, you will not look back. One word of advice would be to introduce them slowly and carefully. Find a space for each new item before including another and have the children become familiar with using them. Before long, you will realise the endless potential of loose parts and observe the many ways they can be used over and over again to create open-ended, imaginative play spaces.

 

How do you explore loose parts in your learning environment? We’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author:

Mel Ishkhanian has over 15 years experience in the early childhood industry and is currently employed at Explore & Develop Narraweena. She has a bachelor degree in Early Childhood education and engages in frequent professional development in order to keep up to date with current theory and research within the industry. As Educational Leader of the service, she applies current research into practice and strives to connect the service to both the local and wider communities. With a passion for treating children as capable and confident beings, she applies theories of play, the 8 ways of Learning Pedagogy and is also influenced by the Reggio Emilia principles. Check out regular social posts by Mel @explore&developnarraweena.

 

Featured Products

Round Sorting Tray

Wooden Counting Tray

Mirrored Pebbles

 

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Sphero Bolt And SPRK+ In The Classroom

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

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’ learning. The amazingly versatile Sphero robot will engage and empower your students with hands-on learning. A tennis ball-sized robot connected via Bluetooth to a mobile device, the Sphero can be used to transform teaching and learning across various curriculum areas. In this blog post, we will look at the range of Sphero products on the market and their varying capabilities and prices.

Sphero SPRK+
The Sphero SPRK+ can roll at a speed of up to 7km/h in any direction. It can also spin, flip and change colour. Using a range of apps, students can code the Sphero to direct its movement.

Sphero Spark

 

Sphero BOLT
The Sphero BOLT is the latest product in the Sphero range and includes all the features of the SPRK+ along with the addition of a striking LED matrix and advanced sensors to track speed, acceleration and directions. The Sphero BOLT also features infrared communication, allowing it to “talk” to other BOLTs.

Sphero Bolt on white background

 

Creatively designed lessons incorporating Spheros can develop many of the skills we want for our learners. Students will be designing and creating code to direct the Sphero while collaborating, problem-solving, testing and thinking critically and creatively, all fundamental characteristics of 21st-century learners.

 

Lesson Ideas:

Sphero Mini Golf

Sphero golf hole with tablet and number 1

Students develop their coding skills by creating and playing a game of Sphero Mini Golf.

Materials:

    • Spheros (one per group)
    • Masking tape or chalk
    • Kinder squares and circles
    • Mini Golf template (free Sphero Mini Golf  PDF download)

 

  •  Sphero golf hole with 2 students and number 3

Procedure:

    • Create nine mini-golf holes around the classroom. Using masking tape, chalk or other materials, clearly mark the outline of each hole and use a kinder circle to number each hole.
    • Students code the Sphero in the Sphero Edu App to get it to make its way to the hole (coloured circle).
    • Students record how many lines of code it took for them to code the Sphero to each hole on the scoring sheet.

 

Angles and Shapes

Sphero Angles and Shapes birds eye view

Students apply their knowledge and understanding of shapes and angles by creating them with the Sphero.

Materials:

 

Sphero Angles and Shapes activity. Track on floor students holding tabletSphero Angles and Shapes activity. Track on floor.

Procedure:

    • Design a 2D shape that includes three different types of angles on planning sheet.
    • Create the shape on the classroom floor using masking tape or chalk and a protractor.
    • Code the Sphero in the Sphero Edu App to manoeuvre around their shape.

 

 

Chariots

Students create chariots using various art and craft materials to dress the Sphero.

Materials:

    • Sphero (one per group)
    • Various arts and craft materials

Sphero Chariot activity. Sphero Robotic & Chariot 2 created out of art & craft materialsSphero Chariot activity. Sphero Robotic & Chariot 3 created out of art & craft materials

 

Procedure:

    • On paper, students design a chariot for their Sphero.
    • Students create their chariot and place it on their Sphero.
    • Students code the Sphero in the Sphero EDU app to race the chariots to find a winner and to test if their creations stay assembled.

 


Sphero Swimming

Sphero swimming activity. Sphero robot tablet and bowl of water on table.

As the Sphero robot is waterproof, you can design lessons that incorporate water.

Materials:

    • Sphero
    • Tub of water or school swimming pool
    • Rubber bands

Sphero swimming activity. Sphero robot floating in water.

Procedure:

    • Place the Sphero in a tub of water or school swimming pool.
    • Have students predict what will happen.
    • Add a rubber band around the Sphero and have students predict what changes may take place in the water and then test again.
    • Explore what happens when you add multiple rubber bands to the outside of the Sphero.

 


Sphero Art

Sphero Art activity. Finished painted artwork on canvas.

Using water-based paint, the Sphero can be dipped into any colour to then create a masterpiece.

Materials:

    • Sphero
    • Water-based paint
    • Baby wipes (used for cleaning Sphero)
    • Paper
    • Walls to keep Sphero contained (I suggest using the lids of A4 or A3 paper boxes)

Sphero Art activity. Sphero robots painting canvas inside boxes. Paints and tablet on table.

Procedure:

    • Dip or cover the Sphero in paint.
    • Students code the Sphero in the Sphero EDU app or drive the Sphero over their paper to create their masterpieces.
    • Make sure you use baby wipes to clean the paint off each Sphero.

 


Integrated Learning

Sphero Integrated learning Activity. When you go to Melbourne book. Paper mache bus & Sphero Robot on table Sphero Integrated learning activity. Structure & bus made from newspapers. Pictures of Melbourne landmarks

With creative lesson design, there are many ways to integrate the Sphero in your units of work.

Connecting to our Year 3 unit looking at the history of Melbourne, the Sphero was used to integrate these curriculum areas;

    • History
    • Mathematics – 3D objects
    • Art – Design
    • Digital Technologies

Materials:

    • Sphero
    • Newspaper
    • Small boxes

Sphero Integrated learning activity. Structure & bus made from newspapers. Picture of stadium Sphero Integrated learning activity. Structure & bus made from newspapers. 2 Pictures of Melbourne landmarks

Procedure:

    • Students use newspaper to design and create iconic Melbourne buildings or landmarks.
    • Students use boxes to design and create a Melbourne tram.
    • Situate the buildings and landmarks around the classroom to represent the city.
    • Placing the Sphero inside the trams, students code the Sphero in the Sphero EDU app to manoeuvre to each building or landmark in the city.

 

Each of these activities demonstrates the versatility of using Spheros in your classroom and how they can be used creatively to support student learning. The hands-on learning experiences reinforce learned concepts while developing the key 21st-century skills of communication,  problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking. There really are limitless possibilities of how Sphero can be integrated into student learning.

 

Featured Products:

Sphero SPRK+

Sphero Bolt

 

How have you used Sphero in your classroom?

 

About the author

Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis

 

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Spark The Christmas Imagination

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

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 array of art and craft that can be produced, the hardest part is choosing what to create!

Christmas Wreath

Christmas wreath yarn craft project.

We hang them with such love and care on our doors during the Christmas period as a symbol of family and eternity, it is only fitting that they should feature in any festive crafting project.
This wreath kit is just perfect as you can make it as is or you can add your own unique touches to it. The creating process will build and develop fine motor skills as each strand of yarn is attached to the cardboard ring. Students can personalise their wreaths with different coloured yarn, extra pompoms, bows, buttons, bells or even felt cut-outs. I have used the centre cardboard circle and some yarn to make a bow. This would be a lovely addition to any Christmas tree.

Featured Products:
Wreath Yarn Kit
Red Acrylic Yarn  
White Acrylic Yarn

 

Paper Angel

Christmas Angel Craft Project.

What a classic, the Christmas angel has been re-imagined in so many ways in classrooms and art rooms alike. Their angelic form and principal position on any tree make them a delight to create.
This version can be produced simplistically or can have all the bells and whistles added to it to make it sparkle bright. The basis for the angel is paper which can be white cartridge paper or tissue paper that is then concertina folded. When using cartridge paper students can use gold and silver pens to add patterns before folding. The heart-shaped doilies are divine for this project, just the ideal shape to fashion wings and an elaborate collar for the angel’s dress before adding a Magiclay head adorned in glitter. A halo can be made from various materials such as armature wire or a tinsel pipe cleaner and is the perfect finishing touch for an angel that will capture many hearts.

 

Featured Products:
Coloured Tissue Paper
Gold Heart Shaped Doileys
Candy Coloured Paper Magiclay 
Creatistics Glitter Shakers

 

Christmas Printmaking

Print Making piece of art on canvas

There are so many different symbols that we associate with Christmas time. Printmaking is a wonderful process to use to give your students’ illustrations a new life. Using the A4 printing foam, a Christmas-inspired drawing and a blunt pencil or ballpoint pen students can transfer their design onto the printing plate which can be cut to any size or shape. The creative process from here is limitless where different backgrounds can be created to apply the print such as tissue paper collages, watercolour washes and textured papers.

Featured Products:
A4 Printing Foam 
Coloured Tissue Paper
Printing Ink

 

Australiana Christmas

Christmas Kanagaroo Craft Project inside a Cloch.

From Santas on surfboards to kangaroos pulling a ute sleigh, an Australiana Christmas is unique and wonderful and is the inspiration for this artwork using a glass cloche. This activity has a lovely depth to it as it combines sculpture and drawing. Students can imagine Australian Christmas scenes, drawing the background on paper to curve around the glass cloche, and then add to their scene with Magiclay models. A task that will have their imaginations running wild with a hint of humour. This piece will be treasured by all and is one that all children will place on the shelf every year during the festive period.

Featured Products:
Candy Coloured Paper Magiclay 
Glass Cloche

 

Gingerbread People

Gingerbread an Christmas Craft Project .

A character that has inspired songs and been in movies, the beloved gingerbread man has personality and style.
The Felt Gingerbread Sewing Kit comes complete to assemble your very own plush gingerbread person. Fantastic for beginner sewing skills with the pre-cut holes, the plastic needle supplied glides through to make each stitch. Once the student’s gingerbread person is filled with stuffing then the creativity can begin. Use the accessories supplied with the kit to bring them to life or give students the option of other craft materials such as buttons, fabric, glitter and felt shapes and pieces to add their own unique touches.

Featured Product:
Felt Gingerbread Sewing Kit

 

Paper Bag Elf

Christmas Craft Paper Bag Elf Activity

It would not be Christmas without Santa’s fabulous little helpers, the elves, busily working away in the toy shop. Inspired by “The Elf on the Shelf” this paper bag sculpture will enhance any students paper techniques. From concertina folds to jack-in-the-box springs, this elf has it all. Two Christmassy-coloured paper bags form the base shapes that are packed with low gsm paper, closed and glued together to form the head and body. Now it is time to add character using patterned paper. This step is where each student can make their own creative choices to decide what their elf will look like. From bows to buttons and hats, each student can give their elf a unique style.

Featured Products:
Christmas Coloured Paper Bags
Handmade Christmas Paper

 

Christmas Cards

Christmas Craft Card Activy displayed on top of brown box

Christmas wishes and joy are spread across the globe in folded pieces of card and paper. Students love giving these to their families as well as their friends. There are so many different materials you can use to create, and these natural coloured cards are the perfect canvas for creative ideas to adorn their surfaces. Buttons are so versatile, and students can imagine them into anything.

 

Featured Products:
Natural Cards and Envelopes
Christmas Coloured Buttons
Christmas Sequins Mix 

How do you spark the Christmas imagination in your learning environment? We’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author
Olivia is a specialist Visual Art Teacher in an ELC, primary and secondary school setting. She has a broad breadth of experience with inquiry learning and is an IBO-qualified educator. Olivia particularly enjoys developing Visual Art units around STEAM which include electronics, technology and science concepts.

 

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Mirrors And Reflections In The Learning Environment

Mirrors and Reflections Preview

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 and discovery for all of us, including children.

You’ll likely remember the look of surprise when a baby recognises themselves in the mirror, or the look of wonder and concentration as toddlers examine the details of their facial expressions or the happy giggles of pre-schoolers as they dress up and march past the mirror in their fancy and creative costumes. Mirrors and the reflections they make can be a source of fun, intrigue, inquiry and experimentation and have so many incredible learning opportunities. Let’s have a look at some mirrors and reflections activities ideal for the early childhood learning environment.

 

Mirrors + Nature

The great outdoors is filled with an endless supply of beautiful and interesting objects. Leaves, pebbles, sticks and twigs, flowers, feathers, pinecones, seedpods and grass to name but a few! You might even be fortunate enough to find an old birds’ nest on the ground after a windy day. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a nature treasure hunt, and the children are able to bring back their treasures to place on the mirrors ready for further exploration. There are all sorts of shapes, textures, colours and shades to investigate. With so many incredible reflections happening, many questions can arise and conversations can take place, welcoming further inquiry and exploration. This is also an ideal activity for magnifying glasses, opening the door for even more opportunities for reflective surface exploration.

Mirrors and Reflections, natural loose parts in mirrored tray

Featured Product:

Reflective Mirror Tray

 

Mirrors + Art

Mirrors are a great addition to the art space. They allow children to experiment and explore all the angles of their painting subjects, from still life paintings of fruit and flowers to exploring light and shapes in multiple dimensions. Mirrors can also be a fun way to combine art with the exploration of a child’s self-image by using their own face as the painting subject. Children are able to look at their reflection in the mirror and, using a brush with paint, they can apply the paint directly onto the mirror to create a portrait of themselves using the mirror as the painting surface. Simply wipe the mirror clean and it’s ready to go again.

 

Mirrors and Reflections portrait activity featuring childs painting on a mirror and paint pots

Featured Product:

Non- Spill Paint Pots

Reflective Mirror Tray

Mirrors + Loose Parts

Mirrors and loose parts go so well together. Loose parts play is all about the open-ended possibilities to use loose items to make and mould, to tinker around, to build and construct, to form shapes and patterns, to transport and carry loose items around or to use as visual representations for children’s imaginings. There’s really no limit to loose parts play. With loose parts, each day becomes a new way. Adding in mirrors provides even more possibilities for wonder and discovery, bringing mirrored images and reflections to the learning space for an extra added dimension to loose parts play.

Mirrors and Reflections buttons and jewels reflecting on Mirrored table

Featured Products:

Mirrored Sensory Tray

Mosaic Pieces

Buttons

Marbles

Omni Wooden People

 

Mirrors + Rainbows

So often children are fascinated by rainbows. The giant presence of a rainbow in the sky when the sun comes out after a rainy day is truly spectacular. There are bright colours to explore, all nesting neatly into each other in gradually increasing arches. When rainbows are reflected over a still lake there are even more opportunities for wonder and exploration. Recreating the magic of rainbows in the learning environment can be done using mirrors combined with colourful wooden rainbows. The rainbows can be rearranged in so many combinations of colour and size and can also be combined with all sorts of resources for building, loose parts exploration or small world play. The only limit is their imaginations!

Mirrors and Reflections rainbow arch refelcting in mirrored tray

Featured Products:

Three Panel Folding Mirror

Large Wooden Rainbow

Reflective Mirror Tray

 

Mirrors + Print Making

Another creative way to use mirrors in the learning environment is with paint as a print-making surface. Paint is added onto the mirror, ready to be smoothed out with brushes or sponges, or, for an, even more, fun hands-on sensory exploration, use hands and fingers to smooth the paint across the mirror. Your print-making surface is now ready for the design process to begin. Simply use brushes, or fingers, to make a pattern or picture in the paint. Place a piece of paper onto the paint-covered mirror and gently smooth the paper down. Then, carefully peel and lift the paper off the mirror to reveal the picture or print that has been transferred over. It’s a wonderful way to explore the concept of reflections and mirror images through hands-on art.

Mirrors and Reflections pink paint printing activity

Featured Products:

Pink Finger Paint

Non- Spill Paint Pots

A3 Cover Paper

Reflective Mirror Tray

 

Mirrors + Sensory Exploration

Mirror trays along with sensory exploration are also a wonderful addition to the learning environment, allowing all sorts of fun and discovery to take place using sand, slime, goop or foam. Hands-on sensory exploration has so many developmental benefits, from allowing children to get a ‘feel’ of their fingers and hands and all the things they can do, to building strength and coordination of motor skills. This all allows children to carry out so many everyday activities and tasks including drawing and writing, brushing teeth, self-feeding, dressing and undressing, building and construction or working on fiddly and tricky manipulation objects. Children are able to use their hands and fingers to make lines and patterns in the sand or other chosen sensory material, drawing and even experimenting with making the form and shapes of numbers and letters.

Mirrors and Reflections_mirrored tray filled with sand and sandcastles

Featured Products:

Magic Sand

Reflective Mirror Tray

 

Mirrors + Construction

A mirror added to building and construction adds another level of interest and intrigue. Mirrors can be used as a building surface, or placed in and around the building space, allowing children to explore and experiment with the shapes and forms of their chosen building materials as their structure builds up into the sky. The best part of construction is knocking it down afterwards! We all know that happy sound of shrieking and laughter as a child knocks down their building when they’ve finished with it. Mirrors multiply the merriment, providing many angles of reflection as buildings go up as well as down. And when mirrors are added with more mirrors, they reflect children’s constructions infinitely. It’s an activity-rich in exploration and learning!

Mirrors and Reflections LEGO Duplo on mirrored table

Featured Products:

LEGO Duplo Brick Set

Reflective Mirror Tray

 

How do you use mirrors in your learning environment? We’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author

Penny Groen is an Early Childhood Teacher who has been working in Early Childhood Education and Care settings around Sydney for 17 years. She has a passion for working in meaningful partnerships with families and communities, providing a responsive and engaging curriculum where everyone feels welcome to contribute. You can see Penny’s interest in the natural world with all the weird and wonderful experiments the growing both inside and outside the classroom. Penny’s also known for equipping children with the tools to explore their interests and celebrate the discoveries each day brings

 

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Alphabetic Code Knowledge – The Key To Unlocking Written English

Joy Allcock Catching Up Your Code display banner

We are faced with unprecedented challenges in education at the moment. Teachers are juggling face-to-face teaching and distance learning and wondering what they should do to maximise learning opportunities for their students. John Hattie has some wise advice.

“We should focus on the things that can have the greatest impact and stop being distracted by the things that don’t matter.”

Ref: https://visible-learning.org/

So what can we do to have the greatest impact on our students’ literacy outcomes?

We live in an age of information, with language the key to participation. Priscilla Vail 1 says, “For our society to function, for people to make productive use of the tidal waves of information available through electronics, we need the skills of sorting, prioritising, and organising which language offers. For individuals to participate and grow, we need well-honed communication skills.”
Vail was referring to the need to develop rich oral language skills and these are of course the foundation for all communication, whether it be spoken or written.

From birth, children begin the life-long journey of learning how to use language to communicate – a process that is innate in humans. They are exposed to written forms of language from an early age, but most do not begin the task of learning to use written language until they go to school. Learning how print works is not innate – it has to be taught.

Written languages fall broadly into two types – logographic languages, which use visual images to represent words (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, for example) and phonologic languages, which use symbols to represent the sounds that make up spoken words (English, Spanish, German, for example). Some phonologic languages have one-to-one relationships between sounds and symbols (Spanish, Italian, Finnish, for example) and others have diverse relationships (English, French, for example). Young children learning to read and write the language they speak must therefore learn to understand the symbols that represent either the words they speak, or the sounds that make up the words they speak.

Written English is a complex sound-symbol language. There are many different ways that sounds (phonemes) can be written (the /k/ sound for example – cat, kite, soccer, pack, queue, quay, school), and many different ways that the symbol (graphemes – letters and letter patterns) can be pronounced (chips, chef, school; apple, apron, was, water, fast, for example).

Understanding that words are made up of sounds and that sounds can be written using letters and letter patterns is an understanding of the alphabetic principle. Learning how phonemes and graphemes map to each other is learning about the alphabetic code. In some languages this is a relatively straightforward task. In English it is much more difficult because of the diversity that exists between how letters and letter patterns are pronounced and how sounds are written.

For anyone learning to read and write English, understanding how the alphabetic code works is essential. It is not something that is easy to ‘pick up’ through exposure to print. The way the code works must be explicitly taught. Phonics programmes are typically used to teach the alphabetic code in the early years. There are a large number of phonics programmes available and used in our schools and they vary in their accuracy and efficacy. It is often difficult for teachers to know how to evaluate the efficacy of such programmes and what to do if they do not produce the desired results.

I have been helping students learn how the alphabetic code of English works for more than 20 years. This is what I have learned.

    • Teach from sound to print – use what children already know (the sounds in words) to teach what they don’t know (the English code that forms written words).
    • Teach phonemic awareness skills – so that children can take words apart and put them back together again as they use their knowledge of the alphabetic code to read and write words that they do not yet have in their print memory.
    • Teach the alphabetic code beyond the early years.
      There are close to 300 graphemes that represent the 43 phonemes of English. Many of these are not in words that young children meet in the first two years at school. We cannot teach everything that students need to know about the alphabetic code in the first two to three years.

A lack of knowledge of how the alphabetic code works has a negative impact on reading and writing.
When you are reading, if you come to a word that is unfamiliar, you need to use your knowledge of the code and your phonemic awareness skills to link to the sounds that make up the word to sound it out. If you want to write a word you cannot spell, you need to sound it out and write the code for the sounds that make up the word. Fluency with reading and writing is negatively impacted by a lack of knowledge of the alphabetic code and poor phonemic awareness skills.

Catch Up Your Code is a book that has been written to quickly address the gaps in code knowledge for students from Year 4 to adults. By Year 4, students have been exposed to a lot of print and they will have a large bank of words they know both orally and in their written form. However, despite having lots of words in their print memory, many students are still unable to use the alphabetic code because they do not have conscious knowledge of it.

Catch Up Your Code uses a simple but effective strategy that helps students (and teachers!) think differently about how words work. Students are asked to think of words that contain a target sound and to write these words and find the code for the target sound. They quickly learn about the diversity of the code and begin to discover some of the conventions about how and when it is used. They learn to sort, prioritise and organise what they already knew, as well as what they have just learned about how the alphabetic code is used to represent spoken words.

Alphabetic code knowledge is the foundation for learning to read and write English. It is fundamental to becoming a successful reader and writer. Students cannot have gaps in this knowledge. They must have a deep knowledge of how it works and strategies that help them use this knowledge as they read and write unfamiliar words.

Using Catch Up Your Code for 10 minutes a day for a term will consolidate the code knowledge your students already have and fill in the gaps of what they don’t know, so that they have a deep knowledge base to refer to as they tackle reading and writing texts that are more and more complex.

Knowledge of the alphabetic code does matter. If you can find 10 minutes a day to use a simple but effective strategy for increasing students’ knowledge of the foundation of written English, it will have a significant impact on their reading and writing outcomes.

1 Vail., P., L. (1996). Words Fail Me. How language works and what happens if it doesn’t. Modern Learning Press. Rosemont. NJ.

Featured Product:

Catch Up Your Code

 

About the Author

Joy Allcock (M.Ed). Independent Literacy consultant, facilitator of teacher professional
development throughout New Zealand and internationally. Presenter at NZ and international literacy conferences (IRA, ASCD/ACEL). Author of a range of literacy resources for teachers and students (www.joyallcock.co.nz). Leader of Shine Literacy Research Project (designed and evaluated by Massey University – www.literacysuccess.org.nz)

 

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Catching Up On Maths

Maths resources displayed on desk, birds eye view

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 become even more important. For parents, this means continuing to support teachers, albeit in perhaps a slightly different way.

 

What Are We Catching Up On?

Generally, we’re seeing disruption:

    • in topics that were already problem areas. For Lower Primary, that’s basic number facts (addition and subtraction) and time and place value. For Middle and Upper Primary, it’s tricky subjects like fractions and basic facts (multiplication/division) and place value to two decimal places.
    • in areas where special equipment is required such as in geometry and measurement.

 

Triage

Do you run your class with a yearly plan? You might need to chop and change your plan, bringing forward the most important stuff and being prepared to prune a little. For example, many probability concepts are revisited in Year 4, 5 and 6, so you may be able to pick these up later. A great deal of fraction work begins in Year 4, and it’s essential that this is covered.
Are you a new teacher? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that every content descriptor in the Curriculum needs equal attention. For example, here are two descriptors in the Foundation year from the Australian Curriculum, “subitise small collections of objects” and “connect days of the week to familiar events and actions.” The former is a key concept in mathematics and failing to grasp it can really impede progress, while the latter will likely be learnt informally in Year 1 or 2.

 

Parents as Partners

I think now many parents have developed a new appreciation for the work of teachers – they’ve seen how demanding remote learning can be. Parents themselves have become fatigued.
Most parents want to help and you can help them help you by giving them clear materials to share with their kids.

When parents understand the point of the materials and tasks, including the catch-up work you’re sending home, they are better equipped to help you impart that knowledge to the students.

 

Picking Versatile Tools

Parents will not necessarily have the specialty mathematics manipulatives that a school uses but simple materials – such as a collection of buttons that may be sorted according to a range of criteria – are still very powerful learning tools. Sorting and classifying involves the use of mathematical language and provides an opportunity for mathematical reasoning.
Take a look at MTA’s short video on button sorting for some inspiration.
https://www.teaching.co.nz/page/mta-nz-videos

 

At Home: Making and Creating (STEAM)

One avenue that will help catch-up particularly for younger students is drawing out some of the learning in everyday tasks.
I have seen some amazing LEGO creations constructed by my grandchildren. Without realising it, they are combining aspects of mathematics, science, technology and creativity, often referred to as STEM or STEAM. Most children will have some LEGO (or similar construction bricks) at home and will spontaneously design and build all types of models. LEGO itself provides further ideas on its website. It is well worth having a look.

 

Games

Another catch-up avenue that parents can assist in is the use of games. Games are a fantastic catch-up tool. Playing games with children can help maintain relationships, while at the same time alerting parents to any issues that their children might be experiencing with mathematics. Most popular dice and card games, as well as domino puzzles and games, will support the development of fluency and reasoning. As children play these games their fluency will improve and parents can focus on any aspect of the mathematics inherent in the game that might be causing concern.
Here are some specific games that highlight specific concepts in mathematics.

MABBLE

Designed by Associate Professor Catherine Attard, this game not only promotes fluency but also strategic thinking. See here for a  video & detailed description of this game.

COMBO

As the name implies, this card game involves combining numbers using basic number facts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication (tables) and division. Originally this game was designed to be played with two to six players, but during the COVID-19 lockdown parents have increasingly been looking for games that are suitable for a single player. Extra games that may be played with a standard set of COMBO cards may be downloaded here
I have made some short videos to explain how each of the games is played, which you can find here.

 

Specific Skills

Children require regular exposure to certain concepts like basic number facts such as tables. One specific skill that needs regular exposure is “telling the time”. Children need to tell the time on both analogue and digital timepieces. In basic terms, Year 1 children are taught to tell the time to the half hour, Year 2 to the quarter hour and Year 3 to the nearest minute. I think children should be encouraged to wear an analogue watch and be asked to refer to the time regularly. A child can act as a timekeeper and note specific times throughout the day such as lunchtime at 12:00 noon. In a school environment there are wall clocks and the wristwatches that match. The Easy Read Student Watch is designed for that very purpose. I recommend that two children in the class are allowed to wear the watch for a day or week and act as official timekeepers.

 

My Versatile Materials Picks

In terms of a basic kit of materials, I think two six-faced dot dice, two ten-faced 0-9 dice {LINK}, a pack of school-friendly cards, some counters {link} and some dominoes would make for a lovely take-home pack. There are so many things that you can do with this basic set of materials.

 

Featured Items

Mabble

Combo Cards

Easy Read Student Watch

Six-faced Dot Dice

Dominoes

 

Dr Paul Swan Biography
Dr Paul Swan has taught at primary, secondary and tertiary level. He is an award-winning author having written over 50 books. He now writes, makes games and maths manipulatives and speaks to whoever will listen.

 

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10 Name Activities For Early Learners

Peg name activity featuring pegs with letters on clipped to card with name spelt out

Most young children are very interested in their name and it is incredibly personal to them. Often, a child’s name is the first word they learn how to read and write, which leads to further interest in reading and writing activities. When a child starts kindergarten or in the lead up to school, this is a great time to start fostering an interest in name recognition. This often helps children settle into their learning environment as they feel more confident being able to recognise their named belongings amongst their peers. In a school setting, there are lots of times where a child will need to recognise their named belongings, for example, when trying to find their school hat or bag. At the beginning of Prep (or first year of school equivalent), there will be a big focus on name recognition and writing, which will help support students with this learning.
Whether your little one is becoming interested in their name or if you’re a teacher looking for some ideas on how to support your students, the following blog will share many ideas and activities that will develop children’s ability to recognise, write and spell their name.

Sign In Area

Classroom sign in area for students

This ‘sign in area’ was a set-up I had in my kindergarten classroom a few years ago where children could practise writing their names each morning when they came to kindy. Not only was this developing children’s ability to write their name, it also fostered a sense of belonging in the classroom and formed part of the morning routine. Children also developed their name recognition skills as they had to find their own name card in the class pile.

 

Playdough Stamping

Playdough stamping, purple playdough and green alphabet stamps

Many early childhood teachers would argue that there is no better resource than playdough. It is such a fabulous manipulative that can help develop fine motor skills and it can be used in so many different ways. In my classroom, we love using our Alphabet Dough Stampers to stamp out our names, which builds children’s confidence in recognising and spelling their names.

Featured Product:
Alphabet Dough Stampers

 

Sensory Tray Sand Writing

 

Sensory sand tray writing spelling out Ellie letters

Sensory writing trays are a great way for children to explore writing and drawing, without the stress of holding a pencil. There are many materials you can put in a sensory writing tray, such as sand, salt or even coloured rice. At the beginning of the year, I usually set up sensory trays containing sand during our daily English rotations where students can have the opportunity to practise writing their names.

 

Can You Spell Your Name?

 

Can you spell your name activity

This is one of my students’ absolute favourite name activities! They love using the diggers and dump trucks to find and transport the alphabet rocks they need to make their names.

name spelling diggers featuring diggers pebbles with letters written on. sitting on grass backgroundIt’s a super fun and engaging activity that encourages students to recognise and find the letters in their name and then assemble the alphabet rocks in the correct order.

 

Threading With Letter Beads

 

Threading letter beads spelling out childrens names on grass background
I use beads in my Prep classroom a lot as it gives students the opportunity to develop their fine motor skills, as well as whatever additional skill we are practising at the time. My students often use these Chunky Alphabet Beads to spell their names and they’re perfect for this task because they come in uppercase and lowercase letters, so children can practise spelling their names the proper way with a capital letter at the beginning, followed by lowercase letters.

Featured Product:
Chunky Alphabet Beads

 

Peg It!

 

Peg name activity featuring pegs with letters on clipped to card with name spelt out

I’m all about the fine motor skill activities, can you tell?! Pegs are a great manipulative to help with the development of fine motor skills. Making these alphabet pegs was super simple and I use them in my classroom for a range of activities. One of the ways they are used is for name activities at the beginning of the year. I love this activity because students build their confidence with recognising and spelling their names, all while building their fine motor skills!

 

Nature Names

 

Nems written on wooden blocks and a leaf on a grass background
This is a fun name activity that can be done outdoors and is an opportunity for children to engage with nature. It’s as simple as it looks – children can find and collect leaves and then stamp their name onto the leaf. Much more engaging than stamping onto plain paper!

 

Fine Motor Name Craft

 

Fine motor name craft featuring collage of names spelt out glued to card

Yep, you guessed it, another fine motor focused activity! A lot of the name activities I am suggesting in this blog have a fine motor aspect to them because of my experiences as a Prep teacher. At the beginning of the school year there is a huge focus on name activities as well as developing fine motor skills, so being able to integrate them together is ideal when there is only so much time during the day! This name craft activity is great for developing both of these skills and they are perfect for brightening up the classroom at the beginning of the year!

 

Make It and Write It!

 

Make it write it activity featuring whiteboard and pen with magnetic letters

This is another favourite activity of mine that is usually implemented during our daily English rotations at the beginning of the year. Students can use the magnetic letters to make their name and then write it underneath on the whiteboard. I love that these magnetic letters differentiate the vowels and consonants by colour and children can easily recognise the different types of letters in their name.

Featured Product:
Teachables Magnetic Whiteboard and Letters Set

 

Rainbow Names

 

Rainbow names activity featuring clouds cut out of card with matching colourful name tags

A few years ago, my class made these rainbow name crafts and I loved them so much that we proudly hung them in our room for the entire year! This was a great activity for my students to practise writing their names, with the focus being on starting with a capital letter followed by lowercase letters, as well as forming their letters correctly. Plus, anything rainbow is just awesome, right?!

 

 

What is your favourite Name Activity for Early Learners?
We would love to hear from you!

 

 

Featured Products:

Alphabet Dough Stampers

Chunky Alphabet Beads

Teachables Magnetic Whiteboard and Letters Set

 

 

ABOUT HEIDI:
Heidi Overbye from Learning Through Play is a Brisbane based, Early Years Teacher who currently teaches Prep, the first year of formal schooling in Queensland. Heidi is an advocate for play-based, hands-on learning experiences and creating stimulating and creative learning spaces. Heidi shares what happens in her classroom daily on her Instagram page, Learning Through Play. See @learning.through.play for a huge range of activities.

 

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The Robot Mouse In An Early Years Classroom

Robot Mouse Preview featuring robot mouse and map of Australia

Introducing Digital Technologies into classrooms can be daunting for some and a pure thrill for others. Between balancing an overloaded curriculum, differentiating for a diverse range of learners and ticking off a never-ending to-do list, who has time for robotics? I get it. Well, I’m here to share how to introduce robotics into your early years classroom in ways that are meaningful, resourceful and easy to manage.

Let’s talk curriculum. The Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for Digital Technologies in the Foundation-Year 2 band states, ‘Students design solutions to simple problems using a sequence of steps and decisions. Digging deeper, the Processes and Production Skills Content Descriptors encourage students to ‘Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)’. These statements are an intuitive early introduction to coding and programming. But how can we make this meaningful in an everyday classroom?

Today’s learners will be solving tomorrow’s problems. We need to provide our students with the 21st century skills and capabilities they will need in order to do that. The learning experiences that students are exposed to in the early years are crucial, as they will continue to be developed over the course of their schooling. We all have to start somewhere (teachers included). Let’s take a look at how we can introduce sequencing using the Robot Mouse  available from Modern Teaching Aids.

The Robot Mouse is an excellent way to introduce hands-on sequencing to increase basic coding skills, logic and navigation. The robot features movement in four directions (left, right, forwards, backwards) in two speeds and colour-coded buttons to match the accompanying coding cards. Users are required to input their sequence by pressing the buttons on top of the robot to be performed when the green circle in the middle is pressed. These robots are very user friendly for the lower years, and the cuteness factor (enhanced by the fact that the magnetic nose will ‘smooch’ another magnetic surface) will have your students hooked.

Robot Mouse hands on sequencng activity featuring child's hands

In my specialist Digital Technologies lessons, I alternate between using these robots in isolated sequencing activities and incorporating other disciplines for integrated activities. The above image displays how students can use the coding cards to design a sequence of code to achieve a purpose. In this instance, students are challenged to draw a series of lines, design a matching sequence of code and then execute it using the Robot Mouse. This activity has flexible differentiation, where students can begin with simple lines of code and then continue to extend it as their skill set increases.

The coding cards that accompany the Robot Mouse make isolated sequencing activities easy to manage. I keep the cards in small individual zippy bags, allowing the students to grab-and-go for their lessons. To begin with, lessons are very scaffolded, starting with a simple path that all students follow. After this, students of varying ability levels branch out to extend their paths and refine their logic. As students become more comfortable in their learning, they are able to design their own paths or they can attempt any pre-made ones I scatter through the classroom.

Robot mouse coding cards child's hands drawing path using whiteboard marker

Even at such a young age, you’ll find students are motivated to attempt more complex paths quite early on. A barrier that is often faced with early years students is resilience. If I had a dollar for every time I heard, “Miss Donnelly, the robot isn’t working”, I’d be a millionaire a few times over. I highly recommend having several conversations addressing that the robot IS working just fine; the problem is the student’s incorrect sequence. You can cushion this conversation with fun unplugged procedures, such as having the students verbally instruct the teacher to navigate from their chair to the classroom door. Did the students tell you to stand up? Did they tell you to move one foot and then the other? Each verbal instruction followed or missed reminds the students of the importance of thinking through the sequences and making corrections along the way. Their resilience will develop over time as they understand that the robots listen to every individual code in their sequence, even if it’s incorrect.

Let’s look at how we can bump up this activity to include concepts from other learning areas such as Mathematics. The Robot Mouse has consistent movement dimensions. This means you can create your own robot mats to suit concepts or themes you’re exploring across multiple disciplines. You can even print blank templates, laminate them and use whiteboard markers to create reusable resources to suit future uses in your classroom. It’s not about having a mat for every concept within your classroom curriculum. You can be resourceful and have these reusable mats at hand to create relevant learning experiences without printing and laminating a new mat every lesson. Click here  to download a free blank template for you to use in your classroom.

In the image below, you can see how several shapes have been added to four joined templates to create an activity where students navigate from one two-dimensional shape to another. In a Year 1 context, this activity is additionally addressing the Mathematics Achievement Standard in the areas of using ‘the language of direction to move from place to place’ and identifying two-dimensional shapes. Combining the two disciplines of Mathematics and Digital Technologies allows students to approach concepts from multiple perspectives to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and relevance of their learning experiences.

Robot Mouse shape navigation activity mat

For this specific activity, students were challenged to navigate their Robot Mouse from one shape to another. To begin with, they were given teacher instructions in buddies eg: navigate from the triangle to the octagon. As a team, they would use the coding cards to design a physical representation of their sequence and would then input the sequence into their robot. A few repetitions of this exercise will have the students feeling comfortable enough to design their own paths for the robots.

I like to have students buddied up in these learning experiences to cross-promote sharing skills and peer support. Sharing in an early years classroom can be problematic, but commonly, when it comes to robotics and technologies in schools, sharing is vital. You can buddy up varying ability levels to allow peers to support each other in their learning. In this instance, the lower ability student has comfort in learning alongside their friend and the higher ability student is exercising the description of their understanding.

 

Robot Mouse MAB activity with Kids hands

Once students are comfortable with using the Robot Mouse, you will be able to easily approach cross-disciplinary concepts with the integration of robotics. Approaching concepts like addition and subtraction using MAB block and tens frames representations can refine understanding of Mathematics concepts and numeracy general capabilities. Once you have one mat set up, the ideas will flow through you! Remember, you don’t need a mat made up for every concept area – you can reuse a blank template to be resourceful.

Robot Mouse Block 10 activity with kids hands

 

 

Technology can be difficult for schools to fund and in any sense, the robotics need to be respected by all users. A few rules I have my students practise when using the Robot Mouse are:

    • Hold the Robot Mouse with two hands (one on top, one underneath.
    • Walk, don’t run! You might drop your robot or step on someone else’s.
    • Only use the Robot Mouse on the floor.
    • Do not push and pull the Robot Mouse like a toy car.
    • Turn the Robot Mouse off when finished to preserve battery life.
    • Sharing is caring.

Having rules in place for the use of robotics in the classroom will also boost student ownership of the learning experience. Students will develop a respect and appreciation for the resources they are accessing and will show a higher level of focus on the activity in front of them.

 

Cross-curricula links

Robot mouse map of Australia activity

When it comes to robotics, finding meaningful cross-curricula links will deepen student understanding and help to avoid an extra workload on your shoulders. Identify areas of the curriculum that align first and then work towards approaching the concept from both perspectives. Work smarter, not harder. Be strategic and resourceful with your placement of robotics in your classroom curriculum. The Robot Mouse is versatile enough to follow chalk on concrete, marker on a flat whiteboard, drawings on scrap paper and a printed and laminated colour mat. Find what works for your classroom and I challenge you to implement one activity. I’m confident you’ll find the best way that works for you, allowing you to find passion for your lessons, ease on your curriculum and engagement for your students.

Robot Mouse Smilies activity Map and chldrens hands

Featured Product: The Robot Mouse

 

How do you use The Robot Mouse in your classroom, we’d love to hear from you?

 

About the Author
Taylor is a Specialist Digital Technologies Teacher in a primary school setting. In her five years of teaching, she has found a passion for integrating a range of technologies into her classroom and strives to share these experiences with those around her. Follow Taylor along in her teaching journey on Instagram @taylorteachestech

 

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Keep Children Active While At Home

Staying Active at Home_ girl and boy crossing midline on floor

To help children to achieve their 180 minutes of physical activity per day (as recommended by the Department of Health), spread out their active play and gross motor activities across small time increments throughout the day.

In this blog, written by Robyn Papworth, an accredited Exercise Physiologist, Masters qualified Development Educator and mother of three we show you a few ways on how to keep children active while indoors.

Staying Active at Home Girl following numbered path activity

My oldest daughter set out this path (as pictured above) and challenged her brother to join in. The motor skills that both children mastered during this obstacle path included:

    • leg strength;
    • core strength;
    • balance;
    • spatial awareness;
    • fundamental movement skills;
    • coordination, and;
    • fitness.

Other activities that you can do at home to increase children’s physical activity include:

Throwing and catching a ball on the spot

Staying Active at Home girl on obstical course throwing large ball

In these images you can see my daughter throwing and catching with a large ball, while my son was throwing and catching with one hand using a tennis ball.

Staying Active at Home boy on obstical course throwing small ball

Start children with throwing and catching a large ball using two hands. Once they master this skill and become confident with throwing and catching, then progress children to throwing and catching a tennis ball with two hands, to next progressing to throwing and catching a tennis ball with one hand.

 

Walking heel-to-toe along the line

Staying Active at Home. Girl walking heel toe along arrows on floor

Set up a track using these floor markers (as pictured) or use masking tape. Encourage children to firstly walk in a heel-to-toe (tight rope) action along the line. Then, once children become confident with walking heel-to-toe along the line, increase the challenge by:

        • Hopping along the line
        • Jumping with both feet along the line
        • Side stepping along the line
        • Walking along the line while balancing a bean bag on your head (as pictured)

Combining physical and numeracy skills

Staying Active at Home. Girl exploring numeracy activity throwing numbered beanbags on numbered squares

      • In the activity shown above, you can encourage children to throw a numbered bean bag onto the matching numbered floor marker. This activity is great for improving children’s number recognition as well as throwing skills.
      • I extended this activity further for my older Grade 2 children by giving them a bean bag activity called ‘Friends of 10’. For example, children looked at the number that was on their numbered bean bag (e.g. 8), and then they had to throw the bean bag at the number 8’s ‘friend’ to make the number 10, which is the number 2 floor marker.
      • The children enjoyed this numeracy bean bag activity far more than just sitting at the table doing a maths worksheet.

 

Crossing the midline challenge

  • An important motor skill that we all need is called ‘crossing the midline’. Crossing the midline skills give our body the ability to coordinate one side of our body while being positioned on the opposite side of the body. For example, we use crossing the midline skills to write our name with our right hand on the left-hand side of a piece of paper. We also use crossing the midline skills when we hit a ball with our left hand on the right-hand side of our body, or when we pull our jumper on and off, using our right hand to help our left arm get out of our jumper.

Staying Active at Home_girl and boy crossing midline

  • These two crossing the midline exercises help children to practise moving one side of the body to the opposite side of the body by tapping their right foot onto the coloured square floor marker on the left-hand side of their body, then tapping their left foot onto the coloured square floor marker on the right-hand side of their body.

Staying Active at Home_ girl and boy crossing midline on floor

  • We increase the challenge for children by having them cross the midline with their hands, while holding a ‘plank position’ as pictured above. During this activity children need to use their core strength to keep their torso straight. Their knees are under their hips and their hands are under their shoulders so that they have a straight back (like a table).
  • Ask children to tap their right hand onto the marker that is on the left-hand side of their body, then tap their left hand onto the marker that is on the right-hand side of their body.
  • The children will be strengthening their crossing the midline skills, as well as their shoulder stabilisation, wrist extension and hip stabilisation skills. All of these skills are important for developing their gross motor skills, as well as their fine motor skills.

 

Hopscotch

Boy playing numbered hopscotch on carpet

      • Every child loves hopscotch. Even us big kids love hopscotch!
      • Encourage the children to set out the numbered floor markers into the hopscotch configuration.
      • Have children complete the hopscotch path as normal. Or add a bean bag throwing element into this activity by having children throw a bean bag onto a number, then skip that number as they jump and hop past.
      • You can also place the numbered floor markers further apart to increase the jumping and hopping challenge for older children.
      • If you don’t have the numbered floor markers, simply draw the hopscotch configuration on concrete with chalk.

 

How do you keep kids active at home, we’d love to hear from you?

 

Featured products:

Shapes & Numbers Toss Mat & Bean Bag Kit

Floor Markers Set

 

About the Author
Robyn Papworth is an accredited Exercise Physiologist, Masters qualified Development Educator, mother of three children, and a passionate advocate for children who have learning difficulties and developmental delay. When you follow Robyn on her social media challenges, you will quickly be introduced to her son Hugh who was born with developmental delay and has been Robyn’s motivator for establishing her business Play Move Improve.
With more than 10 years of experience as an Exercise Physiologist, Robyn designs and implements play strategies and motor skills programs that help children achieve developmental milestones, such as rolling, crawling, manipulating objects, walking, skipping and balancing.
Through valuable play strategies and movement routines, Robyn uses her expertise and creativity to ensure children work towards mastering the crucial skills that lay the foundation for participation in both school and life, such as handwriting, doing up buttons, participating in physical activity and other fine motor skills.

 

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