English: Spelling Bee

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newpaper has an excellent online Spelling Bee practice test! So if you LOVE spelling, or would just like to get some more training, you can have a go here.

Our school will also be participating in the '2012 Premier's Spelling Bee' so let's all aim keep our spelling up to date and perfect!

COGS: Aboriginal Spirituality

This week we focus our COGS study on Aboriginal Spirituality.

The ABC 'Dust Echoes' website has incredible flash animations that describe different stories of The Dreaming.

This website also has Aboriginal Dreaming resources appropriate for children and also contains a few lesson plans.

A fun online indigenous game called 'Hive Alive' can be played here.

There is also a chance to plant your own indigenous garden online.

Maths: Graphs

This last week we have looking at the skills we need to create different types of graphs. We made a graph using excel as a class, then individually in our weekly class computer time.

A good online interpretation activity can be found here.

A fun 'bugs in the library' game is available at PBS Kids. You need to click and drag the bugs onto the graph.

BBC's 'The Legend of Dick and Dom' is a rather funny and interactive way of learning frequency diagrams (data tables) and using this information to create a graph (sound needed).

If you are not confident in excel, use some of these online graph generators to display your data.

Maths: 4 Times Table

A fun 4 times table shootout game is here.

COGS: Buddhist Mandala

A mandala is a geometric pattern or chart, typically circular or square. It represents the world, heaven & earth and is used for meditation purposes.

Creating a mandala can be a form of meditation, as well as contemplating a finished mandala. Different types of mandalas are used to represent different elements of Buddhist beliefs and cosmology, but they are generally full of symbolism and richly detailed. Enjoy this presentation.



A good Buddhist Mandala activity can be found here, it might be a nice end-of-term lesson for my class. There is also a fun interactive 'Can you recognise the Buddha?' activity.

A simpler step-by-step Mandala for kids can be found here, could be fun for school holidays (just around the corner)!

An awesome online activity for creating a mandala to express rotational symmetry is available right here, so much fun!

More information about mandalas is available at the mandala project.

Harmony Day

Our school loves celebrating Harmony Day! Here is the official website.

We will be undertaking fun activities, have a special assembly, and of course we will celebrate with our school's famous Multicultural Lunch!

COGS: Buddhism

This week we will be looking at Buddhism.

An excellent summary of Buddhism for children can be found here.

Here is a animated video for children outlining the story of Buddha:

Science: Solid or Liquid?

This week we will be consolidating our knowledge about solids and liquids.

BBC School Science is a recommended link for our lesson called 'Sometimes Solid.'

We will be working through this activity as a class on our electronic whiteboard, as well as adding vocabulary to our word wall.

A good presentation on 'States of Matter' can be found here, good for revision of key concepts:

Maths: 3 Times Table

A magnetic organisation game is a good way to get things in order!

Hit the Button is a fun game against the clock!

A traditional online 'times table' test is here.

English: Spelling

Learning to spell is a big an important part of Primary Education.

This morning I have been marking spelling tests and have been thinking about what resource I can offer to target specific areas of spelling in my students.

This website looks excellent. The website has been developed by an experienced English Teacher and examiner and has loads of targeted, printable worksheets for learners. It also has English and American resources available, very thoughtful!

English: Lexile Reading Program

At our school we use the Lexile Reading Program.
This mini-poster is a more simple verion of the huge one I was given when I went to Lexile training the other day, it's good to have on hand and also to use in parent interviews.

You can find out more about Lexile Reading at www.mylexile.com.au

Lexile Reading Level Poster

Maths: Fractions

This week we have started studying fractions.

I particularly like the way proportion is described in this video.



BBC Bitesize has a range of online activities to assist with learning fractions.

A good fraction game (that is levelled) can be found here - it begins with children dividing up pizza for friends.

Maths: 10 times table

This week we are looking at the 10 times table.

Multibounce is a fun online game for 10 times table, and requires some mouse skill as well!

The BBC Bitesize 'Camel Times' is a great introduction to Times tables then increases in difficulty (needs sounds).

If your students are becoming more confident in a range of times table, here is a good start to a more traditional 'speed test' where you test your times table knowledge against the clock.

This is also a good speed test 'trainer.'

COGS: A Map of World Religions

Understanding Each Other: Islam

This week we focus our COGS study upon learning about Islam.

This presentation is a great introduction, specifically produced for Primary School children. In particular, the 5 pillars of Islam is discussed at a level appropriate for Year 3 students.



This is continued with a visit to a mosque, where prayer is discussed, followed by a review of the 5 pillars of Islam.



5 Pillars of Islam:
1. Belief in 1 God – Allah
2. Praying
3. Fasting
4. Charity – Zakar
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca

Maths: 5 Times Table

This week our class is studying the 5 times table.

5 x table 'whack a mouse game' looks fun (and sort of ugly!)

A '5 Timestable Shootout' game is here.