Barrie's Store for Teachers and beyond - opened May '16
Average Rating4.55
(based on 38 reviews)
I will be posting imaginative, creative multi-media lessons using PowerPoint presentations with embedded videos, and supported with Word based worksheets and Kahoot quizzes where applicable.
I will be posting imaginative, creative multi-media lessons using PowerPoint presentations with embedded videos, and supported with Word based worksheets and Kahoot quizzes where applicable.
This is part of a set of top rated, “turbo-charged” (just take a look), self-contained (what every teacher craves), stimulating (genuinely loved by students and also great for VERY high ability students) morning starters, each with a main task, plus an extension for those who solve the challenge more quickly (this should avoid the question… “I’ve finished… what should I do now?”).
Each challenge is self-explanatory, and should take approx. 15 - 30 minutes to investigate/solve.
The tasks are presented in a visually exciting PowerPoint (which I loved creating), with a logical progression of clues guiding students towards the solution. The slides are animated where appropriate to provide clearer explanations and are designed to encourage students to adopt a “mathematical brain” (no sledgehammers allowed! - a slogan my students now associate with me!).
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, students create a toy bear, using sprites to simulate “touch pads” -making the bear smile, blink, change colour, etc. Enhancements include using the keyboard instead of sprites, and adding sound.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
Fractions - love them or hate them, they're part of life!!
This resource uses the Tangram shapes to explore fractions and equivalence in a fun (yes!) and visual way. It can be used an an exploratory introduction to your fractions module.
Included is a Word document with 5 pages of investigations, an answer grid, a PowerPoint with various resources for you to adapt, and a downloaded youtube video ("A Sage's Journey The Story of Tangrams").
This is a series of 10 by 30-45 minute lessons looking at the inspiring and motivational topic "Going for Goals".
The lessons cover:
1. Personal dreams
2. Setting your goals
3. Achieving your dreams
4. Obstacles
5. Giving up - excuses
6. Overcoming obstacles
7. MY achievements
8. Big Dreams
9. Big Dreamers
10. My big dream
Review
Each lesson is presented through a colorful and stimulating PowerPoint presentation of ~150 slides in total, with clearly defined Learning Objectives, and is accompanied with ~10 worksheets and ~25 videos.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY "classroom-tested" - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
The HyperText Markup Language, or HTML is the standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser.
(wikipedia definitions)
This is a series of 45-60 minute lessons that will give students (and often, teachers) a much greater understanding of what a web page is and how they are created.
Each lesson comprises:
- a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
- loads of embedded videos (if you need to extract, click here)
- worksheets and self-evaluation files
The lesson objectives are:
- what is a web page
- how does HTML work
- creating a web page using HTML
To support these lessons, see
- what the Internet is (available as a FREE resource)
-the Internet and the World Wide Web
ALL my postings are FULLY "classroom-tested" - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
I know only too well how intimidating computers can be for primary teachers - even with the aid of on-line tools like Purple Mash. With this in mind, and being extremely computer literate myself, I produced a series of Teacher-friendly PowerPoints (with embedded videos) and Worksheets to fully support the module.
As my TAs commented - these make it so easy, even for us!
The pack covers the Purple Mash topics
Creating a Flip Book
Introduction to 2Animate
Animations with backgrounds and sounds
Exploring animations
More advanced animations
I delivered these lessons in 5 one-hour sessions, over half a term.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
This is a set of 18 Worksheets, each comprising around 10 sentences to complete, and each supported with a Word Search to reinforce the learning.
“y” words - “i” sound.
“ou” words - “u” sound.
“ch” words - “k” sound.
“ch” words - “sh” sound.
“ei” words - “ay” sound.
“tion” words – “shun” sound.
“sion” words - “zhun” sound.
“cian” words – “shun” sound.
“ssion” words – “shun” sound.
“gue” words – “g” sound.
“que” words – “k” sound.
“sc” words - “s” sound.
“cial” words - “shul” sound.
“tial” words - “shul” sound.
“ture” words - “cher” sound.
“sure” words - “sher” sound.
“tch” words - “ch” sound.
“ious” words - “shus” sound.
My approach using these resources is:
discuss the sound with the students
complete the worksheet independently
learn the spellings with a partner
write your own sentences
complete a Word Search (for fun)
I pride myself on presentation and hope these worksheets will inspire and engage your students.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
** Updated for Scratch version 3.**
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, students use the mouse to move a target across the screen to shoot ghosts. The coding makes it easy to add any number of ghosts, varying their size and speed,
There are so many really great sites offering Scratch Project ideas. However, many tend to be like recipes - follow the instructions and you’ll create a cake. The problem I find is that the students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, but without learning an awful lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, whilst at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. To this end, I use the following approach:
break the project down into manageable chunks
present students with an algorithm for each chunk
provide students with the instructions for each algorithm, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about algorithms (a VERY important part of coding), and have to understand the instructions in order to sequence them to correctly match the algorithm.
The lessons comprise:
a PowerPoint with introductory slides, together with the project instructions
a Word document with the PowerPoint instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout for students to follow
accompanying fully-working Scratch project files for teachers that match each chunk of the project
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: scratch, computer, programming, coding, algorithm
The ever expanding CodeClub first promoted Scratch, and I loved it – creating and successfully delivering a range of lessons for Junior students.
Code Club is now promoting Blender and I think I love it even more!
I’ve created and delivered a series of lessons for Junior students this year, and the response was overwhelming. Students loved learning about 3D graphics and went on to produce some amazing creations of their own. While I thought it might be too advanced, students as young as 8 have grasped and loved using it.
3D GRAPHICS REALLY IS A USEFUL SKILL FOR THE DIGITAL FUTURE.
The lessons assume absolutely no knowledge and build up in a gradual way
Lessons 1-2 (FREE)
What is Blender
The Blender interface
Navigating the 3D view port
Lessons 3-5
Transforming objects
Creating, selecting and duplicating objects
Project: create a snowman
Lessons 6-9
Rendering, colours and lighting
Editing objects
Project: create a donut
Lessons 10-13
3D Text
Box modelling - extruding, loop cuts, insets, bevels
Project: create a Treasure Chest
Lessons 14-15
Animations using Timeframes
Animations using Rigid Bodies
Each lesson is delivered via an animated PowerPoint with an accompanying Workbook, and follows a similar format:
A short video to inspire (embedded in the PowerPoint)
Explanations about any new concepts and skills
A demo of what will be covered (Blender demo files included)
Working together trying out these new concepts and skills (Workbook and Blender exercise files are provided)
Free exploration
A project bringing it all together (a finished Blender file is provided)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Vector graphics are computer graphics images that are defined in terms of points connected by lines and curves to form polygons and other shapes. (wikipedia)
Inkscape is free, professional quality, vector graphics software.
Note, for Inkscape v0.91 go to this project.
Computing is about so much more than just programming, and Inkscape is a great way to introduce students to vector graphics. Although those with an artistic flair will particularly love this series of lessons, they were extremely popular with ALL students.
The course comprises 7 one-hour lessons, using a stimulating PowerPoint presentation to introduce each lesson, and includes worksheets to accompany the lessons, and a Kahoot! quiz.
Digital Images and a first look at Inkscape
Exploring Inkscape v1.3x features and the Node Editor
Projects (3 lessons): Penguin, Pac-man baddie, Elephant, Turkey
Free exploration
Kahoot quiz and Self assessment
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
HUGE REDUCTION on all Scratch v2 resources.
In this project, the Scratch Pen is used to draw geometric shapes using Repeat blocks.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices.
The World Wide Web, commonly known as the Web, is an information system where documents and other web resources are identified by Uniform Resource Locators, which may be interlinked by hyperlinks, and are accessible over the Internet.
(wikipedia definitions)
This is a series of 60 minute lessons that will give students (and often, teachers) a much greater understanding of what the internet is, how it works, what the World Wide Web is (no, it is not the internet) and creating web pages using HTML.
Each lesson comprises:
1 a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
2 loads of embedded videos (can be extracted if required)
3 worksheets and self-evaluation files plus a Kahoot! Quiz
The lesson objectives are:
understand what the Internet is
understand how the Internet works
understand what the World Wide Web is
understand web pages and HTML
In addition, there are a series of lessons that look at what a web page is, how HTML works, and creating a web page using HTML
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Note that this project is for PowerPoint 2016 but the concepts are pretty generic and also apply to later versions.
Students regularly create presentations using PowerPoint but all too often, have not been shown some of the key features.
This pack of 4, one-hour lessons covers:
Launching PowerPoint and the Opening Screen
Design Themes and Variants
Inserting and manipulating items (text, wordart, pictures)
Animations
Transitions
Hyperlinks
The final lesson brings it all together, asking students to create a short presentation using all that they have learnt.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Below are links to all my Blender v2.79 resources:
Lessons 1-2 (FREE)
Blender 3D - (3-5) creating, selecting and transforming objects
Blender 3D - (6-9) rendering, colours, lighting and editing objects
Blender 3D - (10-13) 3D Text, modelling - extruding, loop cuts, insets, beveling
Blender 3D - (14-15) animating using time frames and rigid bodies
Blender-3D-3-15-BUNDLE-3964949">Blender 3D - (3-15) BUNDLE
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
Lessons in the series:
FREE introduction to Scratch.
Moving a sprite through a maze.
A question and answer type quiz.
A game where students move a sight with the mouse to shoot ghosts.
A Music Player with layers of menus.
Simulates a toy bear with touch pads.
Drawing shapes and repeating patterns.
Alien spacecraft attack a base that must be defended.
An Octopus must swim through walls of hungry sharks.
Navigate through different worlds
Bundle I-III
Bundle IV-VI
Bundle VII-IX
Bundle I-IX
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
FREE INTRODUCTION - this is the first of 10 lessons
We all ask and expect our students to learn things, and this requires MEMORY.
Memory IS learning. Without memory, there can be no learning.
BUT - do we ever give our students an understanding of what memory is, and more importantly, strategies for improving their memory?
“Learn your multiplication tables”… sure, but HOW?
This series of 10 lessons is designed with this in mind.
Session 1: Introduction to memory
Session 2: Types of memory - short and long term memory
Session 3: Strategies 1 - linking and stories
Session 4: Strategies 2 - mnemonics
Session 5: Strategies 3 - names and faces
Session 6: Strategies 4 - lists
Session 7: Strategies 5 - numbers
Session 8: Strategies 6 - using routes and locations
Session 9: Strategies 7 - misc.
Session 10: Memory IS us - the consequences of losing memory
Each session comprises:
a fully animated, stimulating PowerPoint
loads of embedded videos (can be extracted if required)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: games, challenge, memory, strategies, brain, numbers, linking, mnemonic, neuron**
see FREE INTRODUCTION - the first of 10 lessons
We all ask and expect our students to learn things, and this requires MEMORY.
Memory IS learning. Without memory, there can be no learning.
BUT - do we ever give our students an understanding of what memory is, and more importantly, strategies for improving their memory?
“Learn your multiplication tables”… sure, but HOW?
This series of 10 lessons is designed with this in mind.
Session 1: Introduction to memory
Session 2: Types of memory - short and long term memory
Session 3: Strategies 1 - linking and stories
Session 4: Strategies 2 - mnemonics
Session 5: Strategies 3 - names and faces
Session 6: Strategies 4 - lists
Session 7: Strategies 5 - numbers
Session 8: Strategies 6 - using routes and locations
Session 9: Strategies 7 - misc.
Session 10: Memory IS us - the consequences of losing memory
Each session comprises:
a fully animated, stimulating PowerPoint
loads of embedded videos (can be extracted if required)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: games, challenge, memory, strategies, brain, numbers, linking, mnemonic, neuron**
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, students create a toy bear, using sprites to simulate “touch pads” -making the bear smile, blink, change colour, etc. Enhancements include using the keyboard instead of sprites, and adding sound.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
The Scratch 3 version is here.
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, based on Flappy Birds, the player has to navigate an octopus through waves of hungry sharks.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.