Speaking as a maker of classroom displays this has to be one of my favourite ever Christmas gifts! The best tool in the world for removing staples from wall displays. It beats all the other versions and is infinitely better than a pair of scissors. Even if it slips it won’t hurt you. The staples stay on it and don’t fall on the floor.
Ideal stocking filler for all makers of classroom displays.
If you were feeling really generous you might splash out on a really good book as well. Have a look at our Bookshop for inspiration.
Updated
John likes this one and I have to say it looks like it would do the job!
This is another winter display with a speaking and listening focus. It comes from the same teacher as the Red, Red Robin display. Click on play to hear what she has to say about this display and how she used it. Don’t be shy If you have a mike on your computer why not click record and leave a comment about this display or winter classroom displays in general?
You can see a larger version of this photo in my Flickr photos or just click on the image here to zoom in. I’m using a service called Voicethreads for this post. If you have any problems viewing it, you love it or you hate it please leave a message in the comments on the blog. Thanks
This is a delightful classroom display that uses one of my favourite books. Owl Babies is a wonderful story that children in Year 2 and even Year 3 love to read. There’s something about the story of those three little owls, especially Percy’s constant longing for his Mummy, that really resonates for this age group.
Here it’s been used to show how a story webs and ladders can be used to map out plots. The display also encourages the children to make longer sentences by using connectives and time words. The display has a well thought out mix of visual imagery taken from the book, explanations, vocabulary words (interesting connectives and time words) and children’s work.
The cuddly owls, ivy and 3d tree add a real ‘wow’ factor to the display making it likely to grab children’s attention. Close inspection of the owls suggests that they are commercially made toys. However it wouldn’t be impossible to make something less elaborate from fun fur to achieve a similar effect. On the tree stump and branch wood grain wall paper has been used to great effect and fake ivy round the tree stump adds another attractive 3d element.
Titles and text have all been laminated and the major elements of this display could be stored and brought out again another year making it fairly quick to re-create.
The children’s work has been well integrated into the display. They have used what they’ve learnt about story webs to weave one for another Year 2 favourite, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Catastrophe. All in all I think this is a fine classroom display
Up Dated
Following a request in the comments to this post Michelle has provided us with more details of how the display linked into her literacy activities.
Photographs
Drama activities based on the Owl Babies book:
Freeze frame-owlets at different stages of the story
Hot seating-Babies and Mother
Conscience Alley-child in role of Mummy Owl
Ladder
Set out as
Beginning
Middle
End
Writing
Retell story of Owl Babies as a story ladder.
Display
Time words on the branches.
Connectives are displayed within the web
Story Web
Based on Pig in the Pond-could be any sequential story. Each child wrote part of the story/illustrated it, then displayed within the web. FIRST they had done the frame activity which involved passing a ball of wool round as they each told part of the story, in and back to the middle, thereby weaving a story web.
The essential guide to nursery and primary classroom displays
Author: Lynn Taylor
Published by: Hodder Gibson (2006)
As a Teaching Assistant, with recently added responsibility of putting up classroom displays, I have found this book a valuable resource. In particular, during this first term back at school the photocopiable templates at the back have been great time savers.
This is a comprehensive guide covering everything from arranging a display with use of titles and borders to the materials that can be used for displays.
The tips, ideas and also the colour photographs really give an in depth understanding of creating stimulating displays taking into account the size, styles and even the colours used for displaying children’s work. The displays cover not only the walls, but also the table tops, ceilings and windows.
The book would add to the teaching assistant’s professional development especially since it covers the areas of health and safety as well as questions to think about when evaluating the learning environment.
I have enjoyed going through this book and will continue to dip into it again and again in order to refresh my ideas and skills.
The book is available to buy from our bookshop and the price has been reduced to under £15.
Prize Draw
The author of the book kindly sent me a copy to review after several people bought it from the Classroom Displays Blog Bookstore. If anyone would like a free copy leave a comment and I’ll pick one at random on June 1st.
Lynn wrote:
Display is a mandatory aspect of teaching and yet most primary teachers have very little proper training on the subject. That’s what inspired me to write “The Rules of Display”!
The intention of the book is to provide basic guidelines rather than to be a source of inspiration for specific displays. It provides a good starting point for novices to display making with sections on Starting Points, Colour, Titles, Frames, and even covers Health and Safety.
Here’s a quote from Chapter 7 , Evaluating Your Learning Environment, which consists of a useful checklist that sums up the tone of the book:
Have you asked the children for their opinion of what is displayed? As in all aspects of learning and teaching, the children should be made aware of why you are doing what you are doing! Share your intentions with the children and give them a voice in the displays. Older children can be taught the main principles of colour selection and arrangement, and make their own classroom displays.
So far so good but, sadly, there is a but. The second half of the book consists of 40 pages of “Photocopiable Resources” . These are really not that useful in this age of computers and clip art and more than a little annoying if you have paid nearly £20 for a book.
Still I like the first half.
Some teachers I showed it to were not impressed. They felt that it was too general and not linked to the curriculum enough. This is hardly surprising as it is written from a Scots perspective and there isn’t a National Curriculum in quite the same way there. (Personally I see that as a plus!) I think there’s quite a lot of food for thought in the book as well as practical advice and it’s a good starting point for students or teaching assistants.
If you have a mike on your computer why not click record and leave a comment about this display or winter classroom displays in general?
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