Pirates

Since returning from our Easter break  Middlethorpe pupils have become pirates!

 

We have been having lots of fun learning many new skills through our pirate theme. we have used visual stimuli such as

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkWQvzrv6gI

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOFLtsDvbw

to create hooks in to learning.

 

Could you do something similar in your classroom?

Wake up shake up - ICT and a healthy mind

When you visited England you all saw our 'wake up shake up' daily routine.
Here is the method behind the madness:

After taking part the children will approach their class work re-energised and in a ‘state of readiness to learn’.

Impact

Where it has been taking place regularly over a long and sustained period of time, schools have reported an impact in the following areas:-

• Enjoyment of school life and a sense of well-being (staff too!)
• Improved self-esteem impacting on other curriculum areas: ‘success breeds success’
• Improved co-ordination (gross motor skills then impacting on fine motor skills)
• Improved rhythm and timing ( this has helped with music and dance lessons)
• Improved concentration and application to tasks immediately after the brief exercise session
• Increased stamina
• Improved behaviour (“when done at the end of lunchtime, playground squabbles are forgotten and afternoon class is much better”)
• Improved hydration (children get thirsty and WANT to drink more)

http://www.wakeupshakeup.com/reviews-clips/

Dough Disco - ICT and fine motor skills

For those working with children in the Early Years or for children with fine motor difficulties. You must watch this. Every child in my class has a small pot of inexpensive or homemade dough. They have fun warming up their hand muscles on a daily basis to improve fine motor skills.  Put on the music and have fun. Once you know the moves you can 'rock out' to other music whilst improving hand muscles ready for writing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-IfzeG1aC4

Logos from Poland

Logos from Poland 

winning logo:

 more logos from Poland