ENGLISH
Explanation texts
‘Step-by-step’ language across the curriculum
This is a collection of non-fiction explanation texts produced by TESiboard. Explanation texts are similar to information texts but they explain a process, often in a step-by-step way. This collection concentrates on the natural world and can support cross-curricular work in geography, history and science.
The texts are presented in two versions: “listen and read” books, which have simpler text and full sound support for younger or emerging readers, and a read-alone version, which has a more detailed text. The books can be used as a model for non-fiction writing, or as a source of information for a geography, history or science topic.
Each text is accompanied by a “cyclical sequencer”, where pupils have to put the images and information in order and then play back or print their sequence. These are broken down into simple and more complex versions.
Alongside each book is an editable Word document containing images from the books that can be used to support non-fiction writing, sequencing tasks and for displays.
tes.co.uktesiboard-explantexts
HISTORY
Ancient Greece
Myths, gods and society in the Classical age
This collection features resources to teach a topic on ancient Greece, including material on myths and gods, war, the Olympic Games and society.
Background resources include an ancient Greek timeline (howsoonisnow), a map pupils can use to locate places associated with ancient Greece (vicky78) and information on the legacy of the ancient Greeks, covering their contributions to philosophy, architecture, drama, science and democracy (NuffieldHistory). There are also schemes of work, including cross-curricular links, and vocabulary cards to be used as an introduction to ancient Greek (sonia.pidduck).
Material on myths and gods includes a lesson in which children use stories as a starting point for historical research and gain an understanding that the past can be represented in different ways, and lessons using the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur to look at interpretations of history (both NuffieldHistory). There are two resources on the story of Perseus and Medusa, with one version in rhyming couplets that can be used for a drama performance, and one that can be used for a wall display (both choo).
Warfare resources include a lesson on the weapons and tactics used in ancient Greece, using extracts from the Iliad (NuffieldHistory). A PowerPoint looks at the differences and similarities between Athens and Sparta (sillybilliz) and activity sheets comparing the two cities (tmccan).
A lesson looks at the origins of the Olympic Games and Greek ideas about heroes (NuffieldHistory) and pupils can research the Games to fill out a worksheet (vicky78). An interactive resource based on the film Night at the Museum can be used to develop pupils’ investigative and teamwork skills (ldavies87), while a wordsearch can be used as a plenary or as a fun activity (walterbumble).
tes.co.ukancient-greece
NEWS
Maths feedback
An interactive maths resource that gives instant feedback has been launched following trials in schools. Learner Clip Plus includes video clips and worksheets on topics across the primary curriculum, with pupils answering questions via handsets to enable teachers to review class performance. For details, go to www.learningclip.co.uk
Road to literacy
A campaign to encourage reading and writing among young people is taking to the streets. The MyVoice roadshow is a week-long programme of events, exhibitions and performances that will visit Weymouth, Great Yarmouth, St Helens, Sunderland and Westminster in July. www.readingagency.org.ukyoungmyvoice
Planners aplenty
Copies of the wallplanner given away in last week’s TES are now available from resource website Global Dimension. The planner highlights international days and weeks. Visit www.globaldimension.org.ukwallplanner
MATHS
Fractions for KS1 pupils
Learning to share - with the help of aliens
These resources are designed to help key stage 1 pupils learn the concept of splitting a whole into parts or sharing pieces as proportions. This mostly involves halves and quarters, and many of the activities are also suitable for pupils with special needs.
Interactive resources from TESiboard include activities in which pupils are asked to share lollipops between two or four children, share pizza pieces and sort shapes according to whether they are shaded less than half, exactly half or more than half. Another activity invites pupils to share UFOs between planets and can be used to create a variety of fractions and explore reducing fractions.
Resources uploaded by TES users include an activity in which pupils find “treasure”, record their findings and then divide them into halves and quarters (heidic). A lesson plan accompanied by a video shows halves in different contexts to encourage pupils to think about what a half actually means. Two lessons use two-dimensional shapes as an introduction to halves and quarters (JSheard).
One resource looking at some of the concepts behind fractions helps explain “half”, “pair”, “whole” and “the other one”, using pictures as examples (languageisheartosay), while a lesson on finding fractions of fruit includes ready-to-print fruit shapes (mpriest). tes.co.ukks1-fractions.
