Hard Times : Times Tables Practice



Hard Times : Times Tables Practice by transum.org

This is a fun way to bring back pupils focus to the learning of timer tables after a break or simply use for daily practice.

There are five activities to choose from.

Hard Times Plain Game :This is a game for one or many players. Click on a card to see what it contains. Click on a second card and if the two cards make a pair you win them.


Hard Times Matching : Tiles with answers are dragged to their corresponding tables sum.

Hard times Multiple Choice : like the name suggests players drag the tile with the answers to the sum that fits.

Hard Times Tug’o’War: By answering correctly the marker on the tug of war rope will move a little. The objective is to pull the marker past the yellow marker post on your side of the game. Incorrect answers cause the marker to move in the opposite direction. Read the instructions!

Hard Times snap : can be played using  keyboard letters or by clicking a button on a tablet.

Hard Times : Times Tables Practice by transum.org

UK New Year Traditions



Making New Years Resolutions by the BBC

This BBC resource provides a lesson plan complete with activities to support PSHE lesson on the new year and making resolutions

Where has the year gone?  It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the New Year, and pretty soon we’ll be doing it all over again.
Whether you plan on partying in Preston, celebrating in Cardiff or getting glammed up in Glasgow, there are some traditions you won’t be able to escape. Here, we explain the stories behind some of the UK’s weird and wonderful New Year traditions.

Auld Lang Syn
Wherever you’re celebrating this year, chances are your New Year revelry will include singing Auld Lang Syne when the clock strikes midnight. Penned by Scottish writer Robert Burns in 1788, the lyrics were put to a traditional tune after Burns’ death and quickly became an international anthem

While there are many interpretations of the lyrics, it’s widely considered to be a song of reunion and reconciliation, encouraging us to reflect on times past and move forward together.

In the final verse, the song states: “And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!/And gie’s a hand o’ thine!”. At this point, it’s traditional to cross hands. Although many do this all the way through the song, tradition dictates that it should only happen after the line.

First-foot
If you’re celebrating New Year in Scotland or Northern England, don’t forget about the first-foot tradition. This is the belief that the first person to enter the home on New Year’s Day will be the bringer of good luck for the coming year.

While it sounds like a simple tradition, there are actually lots of rules to follow! The first-footer must not be in the house at the stroke of midnight, and you’ll also need to consider who the first-footer will be. Traditionally, tall, dark-haired men are said to be the luckiest, while females and fair-haired men are believed to be unlucky in some areas of the UK.

The first-footer is expected to bring a gift too, like a coin for financial prosperity, bread for food, salt for flavour, coal for warmth or a drink for cheer.

New Year Kiss
What is New Year without a kiss at midnight? Although the tradition is common, there are a number of different beliefs around it. Some believe that the person we kiss at midnight will set the tone for the rest of the year.

Others believe that kissing a loved one at midnight will strengthen the relationship you have in the New Year. Some people also attribute the tradition to the masked balls that take place on New Year’s Eve in Europe.

The masks represent the evil spirits from the past year, with the kiss acting as purification once the mask is removed.
Who knew the midnight kiss could be so significant?!

Calennig
New Year in Wales is celebrated with Calennig, a tradition which takes place on New Year’s Day. In the past, children would call from door-to-door bearing good wishes for the household for the year ahead. They would sing songs and carry skewered apples, with corn and sprigs of evergreen. In return, they would receive a Calennig, or a New Year’s gift. This would usually be money or food. This tradition is still followed in some areas of Wales

Fire festivals
If you’d prefer to heat things up this year, head to Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and experience the fireball parade. The free event dates back over 100 years and sees a parade of individuals swinging fireballs above their heads. It’s a real sight to behold — but why do they do it?

The parade is traditionally a cleansing ritual, with the flames said to burn away bad spirits from the previous year, helping to purify the New Year.

Making New Years Resolutions by the BBC

 

All About Christmas



All About Christmas by Topmarks.co.uk

As always the guys at Topmarks have put together a really well presented package. There’s everything you need to know about Christmas contained here…

You can find out why Christians celebrate Christmas and explore the timeline of the Christmas period from Advent to Epiphany.

From the story of the Nativity to individual sections about Advent, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Epiphany and even how to make Christingles, all aspects of the formal side of the festival are covered.

The section on customs covers Santa Clause, Christmas carols, card, Christmas pudding, Christmas trees and mistletoe.

Finally there is a host of activities with Christmas Games, Songs and stories and ‘how to’ advice on the production of cards, Christingles and even a dancing Rudolph!

You can get the low down on Santa, his reindeer and the elves as well as a whole host of puzzles and printables to see you through the madness that occurs once the Christmas postbox comes out… 🙂

All About Christmas by Topmarks.co.uk

 

Time : Analog Clock Puzzle



Time : Puzzle Pic Clocks by mathplayground.com

This puzzle presents the user with 12 analog clocks showing different times.

A digital time is given under the array of clocks and the object of the game is to drag a piece of a jigsaw to the matching analog clock in the puzzle.

The ‘fast forward’ arrows allow the user to start a new game at the current level. The bars in the bottom left hand corner of the puzzle allow the user to select a level of difficulty.

This would work equally well as an interactive whiteboard activity or on individual tablets or desktop computers.

The game works well even on my elderly iPad…

 Puzzle Pic Clocks by mathplayground.com`

 

Parts of a Flowering Plant



Parts of a Flowering Plant

As a whole class activity for the interactive whiteboard it is an excellent Resource.

In the first part of the activity you are required to drag the various parts of a flower to the appropriate box on the screen. Once you have done this you can click on the magnifying icon in each box which gives details of the precise form and function of the different flow parts : petal, sepals, carpel, nectaries stamens and receptacle.

On the next screen, a more detailed diagram requires that the names of the various flower parts be dragged into the correct place to label the parts.

There is a help screen available to explain the activity. Each dragged item springs back into place when placed wrongly. As the default for pupils would be simply to drag everything until it fits, thus learning very little, this activity would be best paced by the teacher and used for dis cushion with a view to getting each element placed correctly the first time.

There is also Text and a  Quiz to accompany this activity. This activity is a Flash based animation and, as such, will not play on some tablets.

Parts of a Flowering Plant by BBC

 

Arithmetic : A brilliant online times tables activity…



Arithmetic by Colorado University

This is one of the best times tables support activities I have seen in a long time.

The game offers three modes on which pupils are offered the opportunity to Multiply, divide or determine factors.

Three Levels of each of the above are on offer: within 6×6, within 9×9 and within 12×12 making this activity suitable for use across the whole primary age range.

Each activity can be attempted against the clock so giving students the opportunity to improve their times and thus their times tables competence. There is also an option to tur off the sound (thank goodness!).

This activity is tablet friendly and works very well on my elderly iPad (double tap required to select a square in the matrix when on iPad)

Arithmetic by Colorado University
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