Properties of Materials Yr3, originally uploaded by LindaH.

This properties of materials classroom display was done as a small group sorting and vocabulary activity for an able group with lots of discussion.
The property labels are printed off and laminated. The group are split and each half are given a box of identical items, a different assortment of labels and are asked to use the labels to sort them.
The two groups then come together and have to agree which labels are most descriptive of the properties of the materials each item is made from. There’s lots of discussion and an experienced TA can help them make sure they back up their arguments.
Once labels are agreed the items are put on the display with their labels. Just don’t ask how I reached up!
You must use lots of sticky putty or even better velcro sticky pads or they’ll fall off! I have also put stuff in plastic envelopes and pinned them up with drawing pins which I think worked slightly better.

I’ve blogged this display in response to a request in the Skribit box in the sidebar of the blog. Look out for more displays suggested by readers over the next few weeks and don’t forget to add own suggestions or vote for the ones you’d like to see.

originally uploaded by fredondopa

These wonderful classroom displays are from the latest member of the Classroom Displays group . It looks like this project produced lots of wonderful displays and what looks like some very high quality learning. Just take a look at this slideshow to see what I mean:

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The slideshow and the related blog El sistema solar are in Spanish Catalan. You might have to use google translate  find a Catalan dictionary but there are some wonderful resources on the blog including more slideshows, presentations, animations and more. Even if you don’t speak Spanish  Catalan there’s lots there to inspire you to explore the Solar System in your classroom

Originally uploaded by Kardon

This inspiring display of animals and habitats was spotted by Tom Barrett at the Perlethorpe Education Centre, Newark, Nottinghamshire. Perlethorpe is an outdoor education centre which specialises in school visits. Based in the old village school on the Thoresby Estate in North Nottinghamshire the centre provides schools with a wide range of habitats to explore. These include a lake, river, farmland, woods, village and parkland. Like most outdoor ed. centres there are also classroom based activities which are linked to the National Curriculum and the QCA.

Tom added some notes to explain the making of the display:

Overhanging tree is made with some camouflage netting and leaves.

Information cards have been added to each habitat/animal.

Real bark 3D tree

There are diagrams and illustrations about the different animal homes.

Each animal is painted beautifully and attached in a way to give some depth to the display.

Leaves (real and made) form a nice border.

It could easily be adapted for classroom use, perhaps using children’s work to provide the information and diagrams. For me it is the 3d element that really makes this display magical. Click though to the large version to see more of the detail.

Electricity display - making connections, originally uploaded by LindaH.

This  classroom display uses a good combination of photos of the children making circuits and experimenting, text boxes of their findings and a mock up of a circuit. On the bench underneath is a related book and at times there was a tray of parts for children to access and continue to experiment with.
It’s a good example of a fairly simple design often having more impact than something that is more cluttered. It’s important to note that the TA worked with groups to produce the texts and that the children’s own words were used. This and the use of images of the children gives a sense of ownership which helps the children to continue to engage with the display. It also makes up for the lack of student work on this display.
I don’t usually like using such bold colours in the main classroom but I think it is justified in this instance. The display is situated on the back wall of the classroom and no tables directly face it. It’s unlikely to be much of a distraction for a group using the classroom computer.
This display was in a Year 4 classroom and was popular with the children.

Fruit and Veg - A taste of Spain 1, originally uploaded by LindaH.

This stunning classroom display from Mrs Littman’s Year 5 class at Kingston Primary in Benfleet, Essex won a first prize of £2000 in the Taste of Spain collage competition for UK Primary schools. I strongly suspect a Teaching Assistant might have been very busy with this display I hope she had a group helping. It’s amazing what you can do with crepe paper and it’s not nearly as time consuming as you might think.
My own favourite came from Mrs Greisens’ Year 3 class at Warren Road Primary, Orpington in Kent. This came second and won £1000 for the school. It had slightly more obvious pupil involvement I think. Some of the fruit is cut from magazines, other bits have been painted and cut out, then dried stuff has been stuck on top. I love the pictures round the edge of this one of the kids trying all the different fruit.

There was whole pack of resources to go with this competition. They looked great and would be just the thing to go with Healthy Eating week. I hope they put them online again next year as they are running the competition again in 2008. The standard of displays was not impossibly high and I hope many more schools enter classroom displays next year .