Teaching Old Stuff with New Tricks

This year has been a year of new ideas. Firstly, this is the first year I have fully implemented the History subject within the new Australian Curriculum. Secondly, it is the first year that I have used iPads in my classroom as a tool for learning and assessment.

Looking back at the year which is rapidly coming to an end, I am excited about the success I have had in using iPads with students to engage in historical inquiry in ways that would not have been possible without digital technology.

Digital technology has enabled me to collect numerous photographs of our local area that students have been able to explore, sort, order and select. Using the iPads, students have been able to examine the images closely. The photographs have inspired questioning, imagination, inquiry and inferring. Photocopied images in black and white would have reduced the quality to the point that many of the photos would have been unrecognisable. Using the original images (if I could even get hold of them) would be impractical and could be potentially damaging.

At our planning meeting for Term 2, we had agreed that students would be required to create a sequence of images and describe how our local war memorial had changed over time. Teachers not using digital technology gave their students three small, poor quality photocopies of images preselected by the teachers and had the students glue these in place and write about the changes. The many students who struggled with writing gave little detail in their descriptions and could only show limited understanding of what this local site reveals about the past.

Students using an app called Sonic Pics on the iPads were able to self-select and sequence three to five images from a collection of about twenty images that they believed best revealed particular aspects of local history. They then spoke freely about the images they had selected, justifying their choices and describing in detail things that had changed in the local area and the significance of the war memorial for the community today.

The iPads enabled young learners to employ higher level thinking skills and to express their own opinions about what they believed was important in the story about the past.

This term, students have been exploring changes in technology (particularly toys) and how these changes have affected the ways people work, travel, communicate and play.

Students are now using Pic Collage (a free iPad app) to manipulate and annotate images before transferring them to Sonic Pics to add audio explanation about how toys and games have changed. Students are able to search for their own images so their choice of subject is much more personal and not restricted by the teacher’s choice.

Of course, the historical inquiry is not restricted to what is able to be done solely with the iPads. Students have examined artefacts from the museum and those brought in from homes, and they have also written to their grandparents and posed questions to them. The grandparents (and aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers who have also responded) have been an invaluable historical source for the students. All of this valuable information collected by the students is now able to be skilfully collated and presented by the students who have become experts in using technology to create and communicate their ideas.

As a teacher, this year’s journey into the past using technology of the present, has been a great learning experience. For the students, using technology has empowered them to participate in genuine inquiry and to share their ideas with others within the classroom and beyond. 

Toys Past and Present

Our History study this term will focus on how toys have changed over time.
This investigation will address the third point in Historical knowledge and understanding in the Australian Curriculum for Year 2:
The impact of changing technology on people’s lives (at home and in the ways they worked, travelled, communicated, and played in the past) (ACHHK046)
The children have written letters to their own grandparents, posing questions about the past, and tapping into their grandparents' wisdom as a source of historical knowledge.
We have also borrowed a collection of "artefacts" from the museum and of course, are using books and other written resources as further sources of historical knowledge.
One web-based resource which has been very useful in introducing some basic concepts is the Welsh produced web site: How toys have changed.
I have created a number of worksheets that I have used with differentiated groups to collect information from this website.
These worksheets are accessible from my google docs.
Worksheet 1 - Simplest sheet - scaffolded sentence writing.
Worksheet 2 - Collecting information about one toy from one period
Worksheet 3 - Collecting information (writing keywords) about a variety of toys from different times.
I hope these resources might be of use to you.

Winding up our History mini-unit

For the past few weeks, we have been engaged with the new History content from the Australian Curriculum for Year 2.
Our focus has been on our local War Memorial, as a site of cultural significance, and this has led us into exploration of Anzac Day and its associated symbols.
I have enjoyed the opportunity to make the history component of our learning more engaging for the students through a variety of craft activities.
I have written posts about these over the past few weeks during my planning, but I wanted to show some of the finished products in case they might be of use to others in the future.
Here is an example of the finished slouch hat:

The template for the slouch hat activity is available through my TpT store.
We also baked Anzac biscuits. This activity linked to History, Science and English.

One of my favourite activities (because it was both simple and fun) was our poppy potato prints. We ended up doing these in several steps. First we painted a blue wash and sprinkled it with a pinch of salt. The salt soaks up some of the moisture so it leaves patterns that look like clouds in the blue sky, and added a bit of interest to the activity. Next, we used a dry brush technique to make some green stems. We didn't try to match the stems one-to-one with the flowers because we were going for the "field" effect. Thirdly, we printed some bright red poppies with the potatoes. Once they were dry, we used dabs of glue to attach some real poppy seeds to the flower centres.

It is a very simple piece but they look effective as a frieze along one wall of my classroom and it gave the students an opportunity to experiment with a few different techniques.
I have a freebie poem activity about poppies that goes nicely with this idea.
For assessment, the students used an iPad app, SonicPics, to sequence some photos of the memorial and record some thoughts about how it has changed over time.
Next week we have two more simple art activities planned to finish up our War Memorial mini-unit, as well as a concept map as an assessment piece.
The first art activity is a simple watercolour rosemary using a cotton tip as a brush:

And the second will be a photo montage with crayon and watercolour based on the artwork of Patricia Mullins in the book, Only a Donkey.

Anzac Day Poppy Potato Prints!

As part of our History study this term we will be looking at Anzac Day, and in particular focusing on our local war memorial as well as other symbols associated with the day.
I love using simple craft activities to help introduce new concepts to my class. Not only do they learn more when having fun, their products really brighten up our room and are a good reminder of key ideas in future weeks.
Poppies have been associated with Anzac Day since the 1920s. The red poppy reminds us of the sacrifice - the blood lost - in war. Poppies are also significant because these flowers grow naturally in the fields on the Western Front where many soldiers fought and died.
To teach my students about these pretty flowers that have such a sad significance, I am going to make some simple potato prints. I had a practice run with my nephew this afternoon.

To make these pretty poppies, you need to cut a simple flower shape from a potato and use red paint to make the prints. To make the black centres, I used real poppy seeds which can be easily and cheaply purchased from the supermarket. A dab of glue in the centre was enough to hold them in place.

When I make these with my class next week, I will put the sheet of paper in a paper box lid so they can shake the seeds around easily and keep reusing the bits that fall off. This should mean less little black seeds all over the room too, I hope!

If you are doing Anzac Day activities with your class, you might also like to try my Anzac Day Slouch Hat craft.

My own iBook!

I have discovered a simple way to turn a PowerPoint slide into an iBook that can be read on an iPad! Now I can have lots of fun making these simple iBooks for my students to read.

I simply created a slideshow using PowerPoint, then saved it as a PDF. Next, I uploaded the PDF file to my Dropbox, then sent the file to iBooks once I had it on the iPad.

It sits neatly on my shelf.

Here is a PDF of a slideshow about a war memorial that might be useful for teaching about Australian history or Anzac Day.



The pages display very nicely on the iPad and it will be great that my students will be able to review the information on their own after I introduce the slideshow to the class. They are going to make a concept map about the War Memorial, so the iBooks will be another way for them to access the information without me having to print out pages of black and white worksheets. They can zoom in and out on the photographs so easily. This will be a great way for them to be able to access the sources themselves so they can pose better questions.

I'm so excited - I might go and make another one!

A History Unit for Anzac Day

The Year 2 History component of the Australian Curriculum requires that students know

the history of a significant person, building, site or part of the natural environment in the local community and what it reveals about the past

and that they understand

the importance today of an historical site of cultural or spiritual significance; for example, a community building, a landmark, a war memorial.

Next term, with Anzac Day occuring in the first few weeks, it seems timely to study our local war memorial as we develop some of the history skills that my students will need later in the term when we study our local Show.
I am posting my unit plan here in case it is of use to others. I am so far enjoying implementing the new Australian Curriculum, but it would be great to see what other people are doing so I can know if I am interpreting it as the writers intended. I figure if I post my plans, perhaps others might either do the same, or at least give me some feedback about what they are doing with the new History curriculum.

I am really keen to provide engaging and motivating learning experiences for my students and to avoid too many worksheets. I have used the 5Es Inquiry Process as a structure for the planning - Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. There are three assessment items for this unit.

There are two files to download because I made it a PDF and one of the pages is landscape so it is a separate file.
Anzac History Plan File 1
Anzac History Plan File 2

Lest We Forget

Anzac Day is approaching so I am creating some activities that will be suitable for Australian and New Zealand children to commemorate this special day.
This simple Slouch Hat Craft will be a great Anzac Day Craft Activity.
Slouch hats were worn by the diggers in World War I. The Light Horsemen proudly wore slouch hats adorned with an emu feather plume.
If you can find emu feathers this would be an interesting touch, otherwise a chicken feather might be easier to come by! I made my feather in the photo out of paper. Even a paper feather gives the effect, although I think real emu feathers would make this Anzac craft much more special.

I plan to use painted paper for my craft, but this mock up done with ordinary coloured paper still gives you the idea.
To purchase the pattern and instructions for this Anzac Day Craft, visit my TPT store.
This craft idea could support the Australian History Curriculum for Year 2 or Year 3.

Exploring Charlotte's Web

I love, love, love this book! I can't wait to read Charlotte's Web to my kids next term!
We are doing a local history study with a focus on the annual show that is held at the quaint, country-style showgrounds in our area.
To get us in the mood for going to the show, I am going to read Charlotte's Web to my class.
Charlotte's Web is the perfect opportunity for me to help my students develop a little more "staying power" when sitting on the carpet - one of my goals for them next term.
Charlotte's Web also lends itself to many great literacy activities!
I am busily reading the novel (again) and trying to come up with innovative and engaging activities to inspire and motivate my children.
I am developing a series of activities for people who want to use Charlotte's Web to address English core learning outcomes. We are implementing the new Australian Curriculum so I am using these standards as a guide, but Charlotte's Web is such a universal favourite that I am sure the activities will be useful for many teachers.
I am keen to develop activities that are more than just worksheets. No more "death by blackline master!"
The activities for the first chapter of Charlotte's Web are discussion, drama, cooperative work, display making etc.

I plan to include vocabulary words and comprehension questions for every chapter but then have a unique focus for each chapter as well.
Since in the first chapter, Fern is pleading with her father to spare the piglet's life, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to play around with persuasive texts. It is still a whole year until my students have to face the dreaded NAPLAN test but this is a great opportunity to get them started in thinking about persuasive texts. Developing comprehension skills never hurt anyone either!
The other key focus in this chapter is speaking verbs. In the English curriculum for Year 2, students need to look at how words are used to show gradation of feelings. E.B. White uses some great "saying verbs" in chapter one to describe the way that poor Fern is pleading with her father!
Download the Chapter 1 Activities for Exploring Charlotte's Web free!
Please, please, please let me know what you think. I would like to be developing activities that people find useful so feedback and suggestions are most welcome.
I hope you and your students love Charlotte's Web as much as I do!