PicLits Gallery

PicLits was really very easy to use with students last week. They had great fun exploring and combining the words and photos. We used a class login and there were no issues at all. I just made sure I changed the password after the session.

Here are some of the results.

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PicLits Literacy

PicLits.com is a creative writing site that matches beautiful images with carefully selected keywords in order to inspire you. The object is to put the right words in the right place and the right order to capture the essence, story, and meaning of the picture.

The PicLits site is a great resource for inspiring children and adults to write. It lends itself to use in a whole number of settings. As an stimulus for regular habitual writing, as a whole class or individually, it offers both inspiration and a framework for writing success. Used at the whiteboard as a part of shared writing task, grammar can seamlessly be integrated  into a session as the useful word-bank ideas are categorised into the different parts of speech.  Individuals will love choosing photos to write about and apply their literacy learning in a meaningful way.

It can then be embedded into a blog or learning platform gallery.

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com

It’s so intuitive that the only instruction I would give is to create an account and get going! A brilliant tool to have at your fingertips.

Class Rule 1

At the beginning of every school year in every primary classroom, rules of engagement behaviour are negotiated. A framework of aforementioned rules are displayed prominently on the classroom wall for all to see and own. I personally found this a necessary but extremely tedious activity. I wish instead, I had told my class stories of Jimmy McToshbottom, the boy who kidnapped the truth and ransomed it for a lie. They could have learned lots from that cautionary tale. Instead we chit-chatted and plonked a list on the wall.

This is an occasional series of class rules combined with lyrics from songs that have stuck in my mind. Ransom note generator to be used wisely for non-criminal purposes only Can you identify the song and group?

If you or your KS2 class fancy collaborating on the as-yet unwritten story of Jimmy McToshbottom then send an email to jimmy@ict4schools.info and I’ll send you an invite to his writeboard.

Waking up sentences! -2

The teacher ate a sandwich.

• Throw in some words – adjectives, adverbs etc

The demented teacher calmly ate a stale sandwich.

• Change some words to suit your own taste.

The professor devoured the ciabatta.

• A dash of simile or metaphor adds a certain flavour.

The teacher, like a ravenous predator, clamped his jaw on the ciabatta.

• Awesome alliteration is an optional extra.

The perfidious professor pilfered my choice ciabatta.

• Add extra ingredients to the end of your sentence.

The teacher ate a sandwich because the local chip shop was shut.

• Add extra ingredients to the start of your sentence

While the children were working, the teacher ate the sandwich.

Waking up sentences! – 1

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The cat sat on the table.

Let’s give the sentence a bit more zip and bite. Let’s wake it up

The lion licked the buffet.

That’s better or slightly less dull

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Oscars 4 All

I’ve used the Academy Awards or Oscars a number of times over the years as a stimulus for writing, discussion or research. Students are motivated by the subject and are generally able to see through the materialism and recognise the place of such awards in the whole scheme of things.

A class could easily host their own awards, making up worthwhile categories, displaying the nominations on a blog or wiki and evaluating and using some online voting software to collect the opinions of the community. Design and create your own virtual oscar-like trophies and certificates to be awarded virtually or at a student-prepared event.
Once the nominations are in then the local press can be contacted as can the agents of any nominated celebrities/authors etc. This makes for a purposeful bit of research – best done in advance by the pupils. I reckon many in the public eye would be delighted to be nominated and would respond – probably not in person but you never know!

Like the UK Honours System that recognises any merit and service to the nation, your awards don’t have to be limited to the famous. Local community research would throw up a number of worthwhile nominees that could be honoured.

When the results are in a press-release should be prepared and sent to local newspapers and radio. Certificates should be sent to the winners with an invite to visit your school. Get the pupils to write speeches, to perform, to make food, to change the staffroom into a VIP Green Room!