Curriculum+Ideas

=Curriculum Ideas =

These are just to start you off, feel free to add your own ideas,links and suggestions.

Check out specific ideas for using VoiceThread here

Maths

 * VoiceThread to share ideas on solving a maths problem. Have others ask questions on the VoiceThread to encourage children to justify their thinking.
 * Create an instructional video, slideshow, animation, claymation, Photostory,Vodcast, Podcast,etc relating to a particular Maths concept.
 * Create a rap or music video to help learn multiplication facts, doubles & halves, etc.
 * Create a Glogster to explain the results of an investigation. Add multimedia features and post it to your class blog or wiki.
 * Explore 2,3,4 different Maths games online which focus on the same concept. Have the children identify key features, pluses & minuses and make a suggestion as to which they feel is the best for their class/group to use in order to achieve a particular learning intention. Have them justify their opinions and back it up with evidence. Present these orally, or put it into a VoiceThread, blog, wiki and challenge other classes to investigate and add their own opinions.
 * Use digital manipulatives with your projector or interactive white board to demonstrate a concept to the class. (Or better yet get the kids to do it).
 * Challenge your children to design their own Maths game. They could make a hyperlinked quiz with Powerpoint, use a digital camera/drawing tools and a word processing programme to create & print out game boards/cards.
 * Challenge children to create a 3D picture using Google SketchUp that includes particular 3D & 2D shapes, examples of rotational and reflective symmetry, etc.
 * Use Inspiration/Kidspiration to show what they know about a Maths topic before they begin a unit.


 * English **
 * Create a movie version of a play, story or poem.
 * Create art work/computer graphics/still photographs of a poem or story (either original or retold) and present as a VoiceThread, slideshow, Photostory, video,etc.
 * Use Google SketchUp to design a 3D model of a storycube, cereal box (Visual Language),etc and make it.
 * Record children reading aloud, presenting poems, speeches, etc using a video camera, sound recording tool, or similar.
 * Use images from Flickr as a motivator for writing or to promote discussion about camera angles, composition, etc.
 * Evaluate websites based on design principles such as font, layout, colour choices, white space, etc.
 * Explore YouTube or TeacherTube for videos to promote discussion, spark off writing, etc.
 * Have children draft their stories straight onto the computer using word. Print out to edit in hard copy or edit on screen after clicking the "Track Changes" button so you can see the changes they made. You could then go onto have them publish on the computer or, to give them an opportunity to practise their handwriting have them publish by hand. (This is great for those children who have wonderful ideas but have difficult to read handwriting/trouble writing quickly - which prevents them showing what they truly can do).
 * Use Kidspiration/Inspiration to create story maps, character webs, plan for writing, etc
 * Create a Glogster in response to a book read, to publish a piece of transactional writing, to explore Visual Language presentation skills.
 * Use a class blog as a forum for sharing writing and getting feedback from others.
 * Explore the idea of checking the accuracy and reliability of information by using the school journal article "The Macaroni Forest" by K.E.Anderson in conjunction with websites relating to the [|Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus].
 * Create 5 Frame Stories and upload these to the [|5 Frame Stories for Kids] site on Flickr.

Science/Social Studies/Technology

 * Use Glogster to present the results of a research project, experiment or investigation. Make it multmedia.
 * Create a website or wiki page where everyone contributes their research/information relating to a particular topic. This is a good way to explore concepts such as accuracy of information, editing and proof reading so that work is of a suitable standard for an audience, not changing something without consulting with other contributors.
 * Use Kidspiration/Inspiration to show prior knowledge and add to it as more information is discovered.
 * Create videos, slideshows, etc to share information.
 * View video footage, websites, etc online that are relevant to current topics. Evaluate them for usefulness.
 * Create a 3D diagram of a Technology project in Google SketchUp before creating it in real life.
 * Use Quest Atlantis and select specific quests that reflect the focus of your classroom programme.
 * Participate in online collaborative projects and exchanges.

Health & PE

 * Video/photograph children participating in PE activities and place them in VoiceThread - have the kids talk about what they did and didn't enjoy, whether they were meeting the learning intention, their goal for next time, etc.
 * Explore the concepts of online safety and cyber bullying. Go to this page for further details.

The Arts

 * Create observational drawings and original artworks using computer based drawing tools.
 * Use Garage Band to create their own music.
 * Make music videos.
 * Video performances for sharing with others, for goal setting, self assessment, peer feedback, etc.
 * View examples of artworks and performances online.
 * Explore digital photography. There are some fantastic ideas on this site created by another New Zealand based teacher.

Te Reo

 * Create a VoiceThread to practise your Te Reo.
 * These 2 teachers here are working together to have their classes collaborate with each other to learn Mandarin and Maori.