As much as I love technology, I will always talk about the importance of reading on my CPD sessions. It really annoys me when people like to blame technology as a reason why children don't read as much. We like to blame technology for a number of things but for me, it comes down to choices. I hope through this blog and my social media pages, I demonstrate how, when used effectively, it can transform teaching and learning. Unfortunately, I think too many of us make the wrong choices with technology.
When pictures like this appear on my social feeds, it does wind me up because they both can be valuable and certainly enhance each other:
For me, technology can enhance the reading experience allowing pupils to explore texts in more creative ways. This is something I wanted to promote in my yearly Christmas video.
For the past 9 years, I always treat my pupils to a silly video at the end of our annual talent show. To see what I have produced previously - CLICK HERE.
This year, I decided to do something with a more serious message. I absolutely love the new John Lewis Christmas advert. In fact, I blogged some ideas for how you can use it, click the picture to see.
Inspired by this advert, I created my own looking at how reading can take you to some magical places. Please help share this important message by sharing the video far and wide!
Here’s my version of the John Lewis Christmas advert all about my love of reading for pleasure!
We've been waiting all year in anticipation for the new John Lewis Christmas Advert and I love this year's effort.
I know not everyone is a fan. Personally, I think it is more about people possibly not liking Elton John but the message of the advert is brilliant. If you're not a fan, you can always use the adverts I have previously blogged about here:
Here is this year's advert:
As always, I would start with the text, What text I hear you cry? The song! One of my favourite songs, I just love it!
YOUR SONG
Why do you think the song has this title?
Who is this song going to be about?
It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money, but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live
If I was a sculptor, but, but then again, no
Or a woman who makes potions on a traveling show
I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song, and this one's for you
What is funny at the start? His feelings.
Why would it be funny? Maybe he's never felt like this before.
What might be the feeling inside? When you feel excited or slightly nervous, you get butterflies in your stomach.
What do you think is causing this? His love towards someone.
What can't he easily hide? His feelings
How might he show his feelings? Discuss how love affects us on the inside, outside and through our actions.
Does Elton consider himself poor or rich financially? In between, he says I don't have much, but has enough to survive.
If he was rich, what would he buy? A big house
If you were rich, what would you buy?
Do you think this song was written early or late in Elton's career? Why? Early, he is now very successful and lives in a huge mansion.
Why might he be a sculptor? So he can show his love by creating a masterpiece.
Why does he then decide against it? He might think he would be rubbish or it isn't a career that he would enjoy.
Why would he want to make potions? Maybe make a potion to make the person he is singing about feel the same way, or change the way he looks/acts if he doesn't feel happy with himself.
What is his gift? This song
Does he feel it is valuable? No, he says it isn't much but its all he can do.
Do you think it is valuable? Open for discussion. If this song is successful it will become financially valuable but having someone value you enough to write a song or poem is special.
And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is, now you're in the world
What does he hope this song will do? Fill the person with joy and confidence to share it with everyone.
What do you think is quite simple? The lyrics and message of the song. The vocabulary and imagery created in this song isn't very complex or too deep. He is fairly blunt in his message about his feelings.
Why does he repeat the phrase - I hope you don't mind? He recognises the person may feel embarrassed, especially if the feelings aren't recipricated. But he wants to assure the person that it is fine.
Why would he put it down in words? He might not feel confident enough to tell them in person so writing gives him the opportunity to share his feelings.
Who else might use words to share their feelings? Authors, poets
What does he want the person to realise? That they may Elton's life wonderful by simply being in it.
Who makes your life wonderful?
When was the last time you told them?
I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well, a few of the verses, well, they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on
Where was this song written? On the roof of a house.
Is the house old or new? Old
Why? He kicks off the moss, moss grows over time. Interestingly, the writer of the lyrics, Bernie Taupin, allegedly wrote the song’s lyrics after breakfast one morning on the roof of 20 Denmark Street, London, where John worked for a music publishing firm as an office boy.
What does cross mean? Angry
Why would writing make him cross? Writing his hard, especially when you are trying to share your feelings, it can be hard to find the right words. With a song, it can be more challenging especially with rhyme and rhythm. It can also be interpreted that the person they are writing about might not know how they feel or feel the same way.
When do you think he wrote this song? Spring/Summer
Why? The sun is out.
What figure of speech has he used in third line? Personification - the sun has been kind.
How might the sun be kind? It might stay out longer, keep him warm.
Can people keep the sun turned on? No
What does he mean by that line? The sun produces a hormone in our body called Serotonine. This helps reduce depression and anxiety and can heal wounds. Obviously, too much can be harmful, but the sun makes us feel happier. He is telling the person that they bring the same benefits as the sun.
So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do
You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean
It's yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen
Give me a word to describe the singer? Forgetful, ditzy.
Do you think the writer of the song is a confident person? No, he decides to express his feelings through words and as demonstrated in this verse, he struggles to get his feelings across.
Why might he not remember the colour of the person's eyes? He was just lost in them. It doesn't matter the colour, they are just beautiful.
Why might someone's eyes be deemed sweet? They are considered the windows to your soul.
And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is, now you're in the world
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is, now you're in the world
Why has the song finished on this line? It is a lovely line that epitomises the meaning of love. The people we love make our lives better.
Why do you think this is one of Elton's most popular songs?
Who did this song remind you of when you listened to it?
It is important to discuss how love can take many forms and we love people in different ways. The last line can apply to so many different people in our lives.
Can you make a list of people who make your life wonderful by being part of it?
Who do you think Elton is singing about when the song was originally written? Open for discussion. The song was composed and performed by Elton John but the lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin. Elton John hadn’t come out as gay yet, but Bernie Taupin knew, which is part of the reason why the lyrics avoid using gendered pronouns.
Why do you think this song was chosen for the advert?
Who do you think Elton is singing about in this advert? His mother or the piano.
List the ways in which he could be singing about his mother and how it could be about his piano.
Considering the advert as a whole:
What is the message of this advert? Giving someone a gift can help them find a passion.
What does John Lewis sell?
Why have they chosen to focus on a piano for their advert? It isn't about the specific gift, it is about what the gift can do for someone.
Why have they chosen Elton John? He is one of the most successful entertainers ever and so it proves the point more when it relates to someone so successful.
How does this advert relate to Christmas?
If you do explore other adverts from the previous years. Compare which children like more and ask them to justify their reasons.
I will be posting some more ideas for this advert over the next couple of days. But these will be exclusive to the supporters of my Facebook page. You can sign up by clicking the picture below:
Here is a taste of what is included in the Disney Villain Comprehension eBook:
Tangled - Mother Knows Best
You want to go outside? Why, Rapunzel...! Look at you, as fragile as a flower Still a little sapling, just a sprout You know why we stay up in this tower Rapunzel: I know but... That's right, to keep you safe and sound, dear What does Gothel compare Rapunzel to? A flower What is a sapling? A young tree What is a sprout? It can either be the shoot of a plant or describe a young plant growing. Which word shows Gothel thinks Rapunzel is too young? Still Why does Gothel compare Rapunzel to a flower? It links to the reason Gothel wants to keep Rapunzel in the first place, the magic flower. How do you know Gothel has spoken about this before? Gothel starts the line with “You know why we stay.” Can you think of a word to describe Gothel? Controlling, selfish, self-centered, manipulating. What evidence from the text makes you think this? Open for discussion. She doesn’t let Rapunzel speak. Why do you think they live in a tower? It keeps Rapunzel hidden away from the real world but also keeps her trapped.
The Little Mermaid - Poor Unfortunate Souls
The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself Can you do that? My dear, sweet child, that's what I do It's what I live for To help unfortunate merfolk like yourself Poor souls with no one else to turn to What is it that Ariel wants? To be human. Why does Ariel want to be human? She’s always been intrigued by humans on land, collecting items and she loves Prince Eric. Why does Ursula address Ariel as a dear, sweet child? She is trying to lure Ariel into thinking she is trying to help. Do you think Ursula does live to help others? No, she is saying this to mask her cunning, deceiving agenda. What does the word unfortunate mean? It means to have or be marked by bad fortune; unlucky. What does the word merfolk mean? Both mermen and mermaids.
How does the last line help Ursula trick Ariel? She is tricking Ariel into believing Ursula is her only hope, her only answer.
Lion King - Be Prepared
I never thought hyenas essential They're crude and unspeakably plain But maybe they've a glimmer of potential If allied to my vision and brain
What does the word essential mean? It means absolutely necessary; extremely important. Why are hyenas essential to Scar? With no backing from the military (the pride) for his coup, for the pride supports brother Mufasa, the wayward royal has had to seek military support from the traditional enemies of the kingdom in order to support his ambitions. Why would scar have never thought hyenas would be essential? As he states in the next line they are crude and plain. Does Scar see hyenas as an equal partner? He denigrates the hyenas. He clearly views them as dispensable tools, rather than deadly partners. Why does he only see a glimmer of potential? He isn’t overly confident in the hyena's ability, but they’re his only hope. The word glimmer shows a slight, little chance. What does the word allied mean? it means to join and work together. Why does Scar use this word? It is a word closely linked to war and that is what Scar envisages, a war for the throne. Can you think of a word that Scar might use to describe himself? Open for discussion, clever as he only thinks he’ll win if the hyenas use his brain.
Click the picture to sign up and download a copy
Here is what supporters have received over the past couple of weeks:
I've just seen the new Nike advert and was blown away. It has such a powerful message.
The advert has been in the news and faced a backlash because of the narrator - Colin Kaepernick. The NFL star was the first athlete to kneel during pre-game anthems to protest against social and racial inequality in the US. I was, however, impressed with the advert as I believe it has a very powerful message. See what you think:
Here is the text from the ad:
If people say your dreams are crazy
If they laugh at what you think you can do
Good
Stay that way
Because what non-believers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult
It's a compliment
Don't try to be the fastest runner in your school
Or the fastest in the world
Be the fastest ever
Don't picture yourself wearing OBJ's jersey
Picture OBJ wearing yours
Don't settle for homecoming queen or linebacker
Do both
Lose 120 pounds and become an Ironman after beating a brain tumor
Don't believe you have to be like anybody to be somebody
If you're born a refugee, don't let that stop you from playing soccer
For the national team
At age 16
Don't become the best basketball player on the planet
Be bigger than basketball
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything
When they talk about the greatest team in the history of the sport, make sure it's your team
If you have only one hand, don't just watch football
Play it
At the highest level
And if you're a girl from Compton, don't just become a tennis player
Become the greatest athlete ever
Yeah, that's more like it
So don't ask if your dreams are crazy
Ask if they're crazy enough.
Some questions to consider:
What does the narrator mean by dreams? He is not talking about the dreams we have at night when we are asleep, it is more about our aspirations, ambitions and what you want to achieve in life.
What are your dreams?
Why would people think your dreams are crazy? Some people are dreamers others are realists, this clip from Modern Family is a nice way of exploring this - https://youtu.be/P1tcZDiOUSc. So realists are the people who may think that your dreams are unachievable.
Why would people laugh at your dreams? There are also people who are jealous and envious of others and if they don't believe in themselves, they don't want others to have that success.
Why does the narrator think people laughing at your dreams is good? He is trying to turn a negative into a positive, use people who don't believe in you as motivation to prove them wrong.
Why would some people think that it is an insult? It isn't very nice to tell people they can't do things they dream of.
Why would some people think it is a compliment? Often, the people who put you down are the ones who are jealous of your skills and talents.
Why shouldn't you just settle to be the best runner in your school, instead be the best runner ever? You should always aim for the highest achievement possible, not just the next step. It is a message to always be pushing yourself further. To move forward, challenge yourself and never be satisfied with mediocracy.
Why does he make this comparison? In the past, they are seen as opposites, but the message here is to break gender stereotypes, more on this here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09202jz
What is an Ironman?
Why do you think this gentleman's story has been included even though he isn't a professional athlete? His story is very inspiring, to beat a brain tumor is one thing but to then lose that amount of weight and take part in one of the hardest races is incredibly inspirational.
Why don't we need to be like anybody to be somebody? A lot of people like to compare themselves to others, even with things like social media, we compare and want to be like others and conform. This can sometimes have a negative effect as it can make us feel incompetent, worthless and in some cases depressed. The message here is to focus on yourself and value that, rather than comparing and worrying about being like others.
What is a refugee? a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
Why does he use the phrase, 'if you're born a refugee' - To emphasise that people don't become refugees out of choice, most have to do it to stay alive.
Why has this story been included in the advert? The chances of becoming a professional footballer is around 0.012% which is extremely low. However, for a refugee, it would have been even more of a challenge. Again, the story is very inspiring and shows dreams, no matter how 'crazy', can still come true.
Why include his age? To play for your national team at such a young age is an incredible achievement.
Who is the basketball player mentioned? Lebron James
What is inspiring about this story? Lebron James is considered one, if not the best, basketball players in the world. At the top of his game, he wanted to go further and use his status to help others and so opened a school to help others, especially children living in poverty. Read more about it here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/45018003
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. Why is this such a powerful statement? allow for a personal response
It is up to you whether you make the connection to Colin Kaepernick's story here. I think it would be an interesting discussion to have and for pupils to see both sides of this issue.
Who is the tennis player mentioned? Serena Williams, here it would be good to share the story from the book - Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls:
Why does he finish talking about whether your dreams being crazy enough? It brings the advert full circle. Every story shared would have been described by someone as crazy, unachievable. It is an effective way to finish with a rhetorical question to make the viewer ponder. If all these people have achieved their crazy dreams, what is stopping you?
What is the message of this advert?
Do you like this advert? Why?
How effective is this advert?
Why has Nike created this advert without mentioning a single product?
Do you think this advert will work? Why? At the point of writing this blog post, Nike has already seen a 31% increase in revenue.
I hope you find these ideas useful, I think it would make for a very interesting assembly or PSHCE lesson. Please do let me know how it goes if you give these ideas a go!
Before I start discussing what we did, it is only right to share where the original idea for this project came from. This blog post by the brilliant @Joe_Moretti gave me the inspiration for this project - AR STORYCUBES PROJECT
I have been using my iPad with my children to support them with their reading journal homework for a while now. My boys struggle with their handwriting and find it very onerous to write even though they have some great ideas.
As discussed by @MrTullock at the Animate2Educate conference last week, technology should be used to enable children to show their knowledge and understanding even if they struggle with an element such as decoding or handwriting or spelling. I loved a quote he shared, and I have linked it in a poster to the story @CarolJAllen shared around the latest BGT winner.
I want to use technology so my children and pupils can create content to express themselves, their knowledge and their understanding.
Making our own Interactive Avengers Story Cube was the perfect example of this. My children are obsessed with Avengers at the minute, so I bought them the origin storybooks. These are great books as they tell the origin story of each superhero as a story rather than comic. If you click the picture below, you can buy the books yourself.
We generated three questions to ask each superhero:
Who is your alter ego?
How did you become a superhero?
What are your superpowers?
Using the app, ChatterKids Pix, the children recorded videos as the characters answering those questions using what they had learned about the superhero from reading the book. They linked the three videos together using the app Apple Clips, where they could add titles and music.
Their finished videos looked something like this:
They made a similar video for each superhero. Then used the app Foldify to create their own cube:
Once they finished the design and printed it out. I would recommend before cutting and sticking it together, to use app HP reveal to link the videos to each face of the cube. For a detailed guide for how to use the app HP Reveal - click here. The app uses Augmented Reality to link your video content through a trigger image. Once this has been completed they can cut out the cube, fold along the dotted lines and glue the flaps to create their own cube!
Using the app HP Reveal, they can scan each side and the app should load the digital content linked meaning you can watch and learn all about that superhero.
Once finished, my children wanted to share what they have created and more importantly share how to do it so others can make their own so created this YouTube tutorial video:
As stated in Joe's original post at the top, there are lots of different ways in which this idea can be used:
The water cycle
The life cycle of the frog
Breaking down a maths problem into six parts or six different maths videos… watch an equation come to life …
A science experiment
Bringing history to life (can you imagine six sides with a head on each side coming to life using Morpho Booth so that the heads come to life and speak!)
A Geography cube of the globe where a map comes to life with a video created in Explain Everything. ( A journey cube?)
Ever since John Murray (@ReadingExplorer) visited our school around 5 years ago, our school's approach to reading has changed massively. One aspect of the training which has really engaged our teachers and students was the use of picture books as a stimulus in English. It is something we have embraced right from EYFS to Year 6 and every class do at least one unit of English based on a picture book.
Since then, there's been a wealth of resources and support for using picture books to inspire English. One of my favourite people to follow on twitter is Simon Smith (@SmithSmm) who, for me, is like the guru of children's fiction. I was truly inspired by his session at Reading Rocks around the brilliant Arthur and The Golden Rope picture book. Click the picture to read Simon's blog post on this:
Year 4 have started looking at the beautiful book 'Flotsam.' Having explored the first few pages, we decided to create short videos telling the story in our own words.
To do this, we used the app Clips. I have blogged about this app previously and the potential to this app is huge. This app is quickly becoming one of my favourites in the classroom. The only downside is that it needs iOS 10 to run. A lot of schools I work in still use slightly older iPads where it isn't compatible. As an Apple app, it is almost like a condensed version of iMovie. It is a fantastic way to create visual content and allows you to add subtitles, different effects and filters, stickers, labels and it very easy and straightforward to use.
To let you into a little secret, it is the app I use when creating a lot of content for my social media channels.
With the app, the pupils recorded themselves narrating over the images from the book and even use their fingers to zoom in or pan across the image. The text labels were a great way to add speech bubbles and thoughts to characters and scenes. It meant the children could animate the pages from the book to create their own comic video of the story. Rather than describing this anymore, it is probably easier to just show you one of the children's finished efforts:
For me, this is a brilliant way to allow children to explore, predict and infer about texts in particular picture books.
Over the weekend, I finally managed to watch the film - The Greatest Showman. One of the songs stood out to me and straight away I thought, this is a must for the classroom. If you have followed my blog, you know I am a fan of using music for reading comprehension and you can read some of my other posts here.
The film tells the story of PT Barnum and his circus.
"This Is Me" is a fight song for people who are not accepted by society. It is sung by Lettie Lutz after she and the rest of the circus troupe are barred by Barnum from an after party following Jenny Lind's performance. The bearded lady refuses to be cut down by the fact that the showman is embarrassed by them. According to the song's writer, "It was really inspired by the group of oddities in the film, and what they came to represent and what [director] Michael [Gracey] talked about them representing," Pasek told Billboard. "People who had lived in the shadows their whole lives and for the first time wanted to feel love and acceptance, and even when P.T. Barnum turns his back on them, they make a statement - not only to him, but to themselves - that they declare to love themselves for the first time."
Here is a link to the music video:
Here are the lyrics with some suggested questions:
I am not a stranger to the dark "Hide away," they say "'Cause we don't want your broken parts" I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars "Run away," they say No one'll love you as you are
But I won't let them break me down to dust I know that there's a place for us For we are glorious
What does it mean to be a stranger to the dark? She likes to hide, in the shadows.
Who are 'they' mentioned in the second line? Society, maybe her family
What punctuation mark has been used to show speech? Inverted commas
What are her broken parts? The features that make her 'different'
Can these be fixed? Some things that are broken can be fixed but usually leave a reminder.
What does the word 'ashamed' mean? They feel embarrassed and humiliated
What are her scars? All the things that make her different.
Why has she used the word scars? Scars are something that last a lifetime.
Why does she use the word 'dust' when talking about breaking her down? To create something you have to crush something so much and it then just disappears into nothing.
On a scale of 1-5, how effective is the word glorious?
What is the word 'us' an example of? Pronoun
Why does she use the word 'us'? To show she is no longer alone and there are others who feel the same way.
How does this make her feel? Empowered to know she is not alone, this might be what gives her confidence to speak out.
Looking at the video, when is this film set? In the past.
How were these people treated? Why?
Do you think it is right to treat them they way they were treated? Why?
Do you think we treat people like this today? Can you think of an example?
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out I am brave, I am bruised I am who I'm meant to be, this is me Look out 'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me [Post-Chorus] Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Which word is spelt incorrectly in the first line? What should it be? Want to
What is the superlative adjective used in the first line? Sharpest
Why has she chosen that adjective? Usually, sharp objects can hurt us so she is describing the words as hurtful.
What does she mean by 'send a flood'? She wants rid of the judgements and negativity, she's going to drown them out.
What does the metaphor in the second line remind you of? Almost like flushing a toilet and getting rid of the horrible mess.
Do you think she is brave? Why?
Why has she used the word bruised when in the first verse she uses scars? Unlike scars, bruising disappears with time. It signifies a change in the attitude of the singer – the words no longer leave a lasting mark on her, but the effect of the hurt becomes more short-lived, more temporal. It speaks of resilience and strength that blossoms from within the singer.
What is 'cause short for? Because
Why does she use the verb 'marching'? Marching tends to be something you do in a group, like an army, and it is a very determined walk.
Why does she march to her beat? She is now taking control of her life and how she is seen by others.
What does it mean to apologise? Say sorry
Do you think she has apologised in the past? Why? Yes because she has let others bring her down.
Why isn't she going to apologise any more? She has nothing to apologise for.
Why was she scared to be seen? They have been treated as outcasts their whole life and tried to hide in the darkness. Now they know their worth through the circus.
Another round of bullets hits my skin Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in We are bursting through the barricades And reaching for the sun (we are warriors) Yeah, that's what we've become [Pre-Chorus] Won't let them break me down to dust I know that there's a place for us For we are glorious
Do you think real bullets are hitting her skin? No
What is she using here? A metaphor
What is the metaphor? The bullets are people's words and judgments
Why has she chosen bullets for this? Bullets usually serious hurt or even kill people. She is exaggerating how hurtful and damaging people's comments are.
What word tells us this has happened before? Another
What is a barricade? a barrier to block or stop something
What is the barricade in this song? The barrier stopping the singer being who she really is
How effective is her verb choice of bursting? Very, she's not just going through the barricade she is bursting. When something bursts its usually because it can not hold anything more in - like a balloon. They have taken so much they can no longer keep it in.
Why are they reaching for the sun? This line traces back to the beginning of the song, in which the singer sings that she is “no stranger to the dark”, and that all of the circus members have been hiding away in the shadows their whole lives. But here, instead of remaining shackled by the world around them, they choose to burst out of the darkness and into the spotlight, finally embracing who they are.
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down Gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out I am brave, I am bruised I am who I'm meant to be, this is me Look out 'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh This is me
And I know that I deserve your love There's nothing I'm not worthy of When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out This is brave, this is bruised This is who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come (look out 'cause here I come) And I'm marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on) I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh) I'm gonna send a flood Gonna drown them out (Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, this is me)
Do you like this song? Why?
What is the message of this song?
On a scale of 1-5, how effectively does it convey this message? Why?
A few years back, I put together an eBook - 15+ ideas for the emoji keyboard in class. The eBook shared some useful and inspiring ideas for how to utilise the emoji keyboard.
I have since blogged about using Bitmoji in class. This is another great tool that allows teachers to turn themselves into a cartoon and then create images such as these to share with your pupils:
I have just seen a blog from Mr Hill who shares some more ideas for Bitmoji, you can read it here.
More recently, there has been a new tool that seems to have dominated every social media platform and that is GIFs. To define a GIF:
An animated GIF is an image encoded in graphics interchange format (GIF), which contains a number of images or frames in a single file and is described by its own graphic control extension. The frames are presented in a specific order in order to convey animation. An animated GIF can loop endlessly or stop after a few sequences.
GIFs seem to be everywhere and for the past few months, I have been using GIFs in the classroom. Here I want to share a few ideas.
First, the app GIPHY is the app I use to access a library of GIFs. PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS APP IS ONLY ON MY TEACHER DEVICE. THERE ARE A LOT OF GIFS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE CLASSROOM SO IT IS ONLY A TOOL THAT I ACCESS AND SHARE THE GIFS FROM MY DEVICE USING AIRDROP.
Within the app, once you have selected a GIF there is the option to export it and save it as a video. This can be a great way of enhancing projects in class. For example, if my class were creating some content in Adobe Spark Video, I can find a GIF, export it as a video and then share it via airdrop to their device so they can add it to their presentation.
We also did a project where we used GIFs to help with vocabulary. I had found a range of GIFs that link to different emotions. Pupils created short videos on Shadow Puppets Edu using these GIFs alongside words to describe those feelings. We then use Augmented Reality to link these videos to this sheet using HP Reveal:
If you follow the Davyhulme channel on HP reveal, you should be able to scan each emoji which will reveal the student's vocab videos.
Matching the words with the short animations give children the opportunity to consider actions which link to these emotions - Delighted = skipping gleefully. This can be a great way of developing and making links to Alan Peat's 'show not tell' techniques. Even making links to his and Mat Sullivan's exciting sentences. In particular, sentence types like Tell: Show 3; Examples.
For example:
He was delighted: skipping gleefully; twinkling his fingers; smiling broadly.
A further way to develop 'Show not tell' through GIFs, would be to use them within a sentence. For example, if I created this and share it on the board:
, he left the classroom straight away.
First, ask the children to identify the tell in this sentence. You will probably get - angry.
Therefore, we can start by rewriting the sentence as:
Angry, he left the classroom straight away.
However, this would be a tell sentence. To engage the reader in our story we want to play to the reader's intelligence. Remember one of the golden rules of storytelling from the brilliant minds at Pixar:
So, using the above GIF, you can ask your pupils, "How is Spongebob showing us he is angry?" Allow the pupils to create some action phrases:
Rocking back and forth,
Clenching his fists,
Gritting his teeth,
Snarling his face,
Encourage the pupils to then replace their tell opener with one of their show phrases and discuss why this is more effective. This can be developed with a whole range of GIFs to create that animated visual to help with action phrases to encourage that show not tell.
Another useful idea is to use an app to create your own GIF. If you are a blogging school and want to share a few images from a particular lesson or trip, you can put a number of images together and create a GIF that you can then embed in your blog or website. The apps Lively and GifToaster are worth a look for this.
I hope you find this post useful. Please do share in the comments if you use these ideas and how they work for you.
I have blogged about the power of music in the classroom and have previously shared a number of songs which can be used in the classroom, especially for reading comprehension. You can read them here.
The song currently at Number 1 in the charts - These Days by Rudimental feat. Macklemore, Jess Glyne and Dan Caplen - is another great song which can be used in class. Here is a link to the music video:
Here are the lyrics with some suggested questions:
I know you moved onto someone new Hope life is beautiful You were the light for me to find my truth I just wanna say, thank you
Who is the rapper speaking about?
Are the couple still together? How do you know? No - moved onto someone new.
How does he feel towards his old girlfriend? He still likes her - wishes her well
Is this always the case when people split up? Open to discussion
Do you think he regrets breaking up with her? No, the relationship helped him grow.
Why is he thanking her? He recognises that she helped him on his journey to reach his goal.
Do you think he is speaking straight after the relationship has ended or is this a long time after?
Leaving to find my soul Told her I had to go And I know it ain't pretty When our hearts get broke Too young to feel this old Watching us both turn cold Oh, I know it ain't pretty When two hearts get broke Yeah, I know it ain't pretty When two hearts get broke
Why did they break up? He wanted to leave to find himself, maybe travel
Why might this have been a hard decision? As it will have hurt the other person (hearts get broke)
What does he mean by 'too young to feel this old'? It shows the experience has really matured him, as we get older we tend to learn from our experiences and sometimes mistakes.
Is the last line grammatically correct? How should it read?
Why is it repeated? For emphasis
I hope someday We'll sit down together And laugh with each other About these days, these days All our troubles We'll lay to rest And we'll wish we could come back to these days, these days These days, these days These days, these days
How does the singer feel about her ex-boyfriend? She seems to have moved on and looks back fondly on their time together
Do you think this was always the case? Possibly not, at the start, she may have felt angry and sad and blamed him but time is a great healer.
Do you think they still like each other? Yes
How do you know? She hopes they can sit down and reminisce.
How would you describe their relationship? Fun, she wants to laugh at the times they had.
Do you think she is happier now than she was in the relationship? Open for discussion, yes as she has moved on or no as she wishes she could go back to the old days.
Three years of ups and downs Nothing to show for it now And I know it ain't pretty when the fire burns out Calling me when I'm drunk, remind me of what I've done And I know it ain't pretty when you're trying to move on, yeah
How long did the relationship last?
What is the perfect relationship? Why/Why not?
How did he feel when the relationship initially ended? Sad maybe angry that once it had ended, there is nothing to show for it.
Why does the singer reference fire? Fire can link to romance and passion. Usually, a fire will start from two materials coming together. When a fire burns out it signifies the end and also darkness.
You may want to dismiss the line that mentions being drunk
Do you think she was happy when they first split up? No, she was phoning him late at night.
Was it easy to move on?
I hope someday We'll sit down together And laugh with each other About these days, these days All our troubles We'll lay to rest And we'll wish we could come back to these days, these days Oh I know, I know Oh I know, I know Oh I know, I know These days, these days Oh I know, I know Oh I know, I know Oh I know, I know To these days, these days
Cigarettes in the ashtray Reminiscing on those past days I thought you’d end up with my last name But that changed And I travelled around the world Think where you living at now? I heard you moved to Oxford Got an apartment and settled down And every once in a while I start texting Write a paragraph But then I delete the message Think 'bout you like a pastime I could cry you a river Get you baptised or I wasn't ready to act right Used to always think I'd get you back, right They say that things fall apart (yeah) We were gonna move to Brooklyn You were gonna study Art (oh no, oh) Love is just a tool To remind us who we are And that we are not alone When we're walking in the dark
Again, you may want to leave the line about cigarettes. Or you can discuss it being a symbol of the end, as a cigarrette in the ashtray is usually once it has been finished.
Do you think this verse is from when they have just split up or long after?
What did the singer hope from the relationship? They would get married (end up with my last name)
Why did they split up? He wanted to travel the world.
Does he miss her? Yes
What evidence from the text tells us this? He thinks where she is living, he asks about her which is why he heard she lives in Oxford. He sometimes writes texts but then deletes it.
What does he write in the text message do you think? Perhaps he writes something in an attempt to reunite, or apologise.
Why does he delete the message? He might delete it out of shame or maybe just as an attempt to try and get over her.
Consider the line 'think 'bout you like a past time' - Why is this grammatically incorrect?
What does the rapper use here? A simile
Why? Our pastimes are hobbies we do and are fond of. When we are older and usually stop them, we look back with fond memories.
On a scale of 1-5 how much does he regret ending the relationship? 5, he has cried a river, so much he could baptise her.
When they split up, did he think that was the end? He thought he could get her back.
What word could be used to describe his attitude? Naive
What were their relationship plans? Move to America
What has the rapper learned from this relationship? Love is not the answer, it helps us and brings us light and helps us to learn about ourselves.
I hope someday We'll sit down together And laugh with each other About these days, these days All our troubles We'll lay to rest And we'll wish we could come back to these days, these days We'll wish we could come back to these days, these days (these days, these days, these days)
What do you think the overall message of the song is?
Earlier this week, I did a Facebook live video sharing my top 5 apps of the year. You can watch it here.
It made me reflect on 2017 and what an amazing year it has been. Especially when it comes to my social media channels. It has been a year where the videos I make about life as a teacher have had such an amazing response from you guys. I thought I would compile a top ten list of videos from my page based on views from Facebook, I hope you enjoy:
10 - What would Love Island look like in a Primary School Staffroom? 383k Views
4 - Why Teachers Can't Sleep on a Sunday 728k Views
3 - How Teachers Walk Down The Corridor - 2.5m views
2 - #BeLikeTheRenegade Series - Combined over 3.5m Views. Here is the YouTube Playlist of all the adventures with Mrs May, make sure you subscribe!
1 - Now That's What I Call Being a Teacher Series - Combined over 4m views. Here is the YouTube Playlist of every Volume, please make sure you subscribe!
I hope you enjoy this list, plenty more planned for 2018. Again, I would love to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support! Have a wonderful Christmas!
