Barrie's Store for Teachers and beyond - opened May '16
Average Rating4.42
(based on 32 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.
A FREE sampler of my Maths Starters resources.
There are a number of cost effective options for purchasing these resources:
- a bundle of 3 PowerPoints
- a mega bundle of all 6 PowerPoints
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
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.
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 part of a series of 45-60 minute lessons that will give students (and often, teachers) a much greater understanding of what the internet is, how it works and what the World Wide Web is (no, it is not the internet).
Each lesson comprises:
- a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
- loads of embedded videos (can be extracted if required)
- worksheets and self-evaluation files
The lesson objectives are:
1. understand what the Internet is (this FREE resource)
2. understand how the Internet works and what the World Wide Web is
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.
WRITTEN FOR THE NEWLY RELEASED SCRATCH 3
In my series of Scratch projects, students are encouraged to learn through doing - creating projects that encourage learning.
In this NEW series of lessons for Scratch 3, I provide a more structured approach, looking in detail at Scratch programming tools. Each tool is explored through simple projects, and students then go on to further explore using guided project worksheets.
What is Scratch v3
The following lessons will be published as a package shortly - please Follow Me to be kept up to date with their publication.
Events and Triggers
Controls
Motion and the Stage
Data Variables
Operations - number
Operations - text
The Graphics editor
The lessons comprise:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides, together with the project instructions
a Word document with the PowerPoint project instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout for students to follow
accompanying fully-working Scratch3 project files for students and teachers
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: scratch, computer, programming, coding, algorithm
This is a FREE background presentation to my series of Maths Starters resources.
There are a number of cost effective options for purchasing these resources:
- a single PowerPoint (there are 6 in the series)
- a bundle of 3 PowerPoints
- a mega bundle of 6 PowerPoints
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
Search words: math, numeracy, numbers, arithmetic, starters, challenge, brain, stimulate, problem, mental, thinking, abstract
This is a great brain challenge to fill 15 mins.
Each slide shows a word or phrase written in reverse (rotated 180 degrees on the X axis).
Children are asked to write the words correctly on their whiteboards.
Barrie James
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.
Lessons in this series so far (always more to follow):
A series of lessons exploring Scratch 3 programming concepts.
Scratch v3 Tutorials
A FREE lesson explaining all about sprites, scripts, stages, etc…
An introduction to Scratch
A maze type project that adds multiple levels of complexity.
Save the Penguin
Students create a question and answer type quiz, adding a timer, scores and other enhancements.
Design a Quiz
Students create a game where they move a target with the mouse to shoot the ghosts. The time allowed and the speed and number of ghosts can be varied.
Ghost Busting
Students create a Music Player with layers of menus for different categories of music. Audio files can then be uploaded as the tracks for each category.
Music Player
Students create a simulation of a toy bear that responds to “touch pads”, speaks and talks.
Interactive Toy Bear
Students draw shapes and repeating patterns using the pen in Scratch.
Drawing patterns and shapes
Students create a space game with a scrolling backdrop (sprite) and alien spacecraft appearing from any edge attacking the base.
Base Attack
A game similar to Flappy Birds but moving an Octopus through a wall of hungry Sharks.
Flappy Octopus
Students must capture items in their journey through 2 worlds.
Worlds
Cost-effective Bundles:
All NINE projects for the price of six
Projects 1-3
Projects 4-6
Projects 7-9
This is a collection of miscellaneous literacy worksheets that I have created and use in class and that are suitable for home learning assignments.
In alphabetical order:
analogies
apostrophes for possession and contraction
capital letters and full stops
commas for lists
fronted adverbials
homophones
jumbled sentences
personification
plurals and possession
relative pronouns
sentence structure
direct speech
spelling - making plurals
verbs - modal verbs
verbs - perfect tenses
Note that these may not be of the same high quality as my other published lessons on TES, but I am providing them free of charge in the hope that they may prove useful to fellow teachers in these uncertain times.
Having been a substitute teacher in over 200 different classes in countless schools, I have learned a thing or two over the years - really! The absolute most important is - establish your expectations right at the start. The day is then productive and enjoyable for both you and the children.
I use this PowerPoint EVERY time I teach a class for the first time, or as a reminder if I am returning to a class after a period. It guides me and the class through the critical first 30 minutes of the day.
Slides are accompanied with detailed Notes where appropriate to explain how the slide is best used.
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”.
Before I publish, my lessons are tested in the classroom by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
Let me know if you have any questions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
Machine Learning and AI are terms we all hear a lot about every day. They affect our lives profoundly and yet, we know so little about either. Producing this presentation in what I hope is an easy to understand form, was hugely challenging and immensely rewarding, and I hope it can benefit you and your students.
We all need at least a basic understanding of what is happening in the world of AI.
This lesson for absolute beginners looks at
what is intelligence (easy start!!)
what is machine learning
how AI is related to machine learning
the ethical concerns of bias
The lesson comprises:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
inspiring embedded videos (if you need to extract, click here)
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.
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.
This is just a fun activity that should fill a spare 10 to 15 mins.
Without talking, and with hands behind their backs, children must arrange themselves in order of height, shoe size, etc...
A great way to explore and develop non verbal communication skills.
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**
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
Doodling is FAR more important than we let on....
Most of us do it at some time or other.
It helps us stay alert and focused.
I encourage children to doodle in a "doodle pad" at various times (e.g. when listening to a story) and to share their doodle creations with the class if they choose to.
Children just LOVE doing this, and it allows them a degree of self-expression rarely found in other subjects.
Give it a try - you'll be amazed!
Check on youtube for loads of inspiring examples.
Embedding videos in a PowerPoint presentation is a really useful feature, but if you are using an older computer to display the slideshow, or an external monitor, the video playback may flicker.
The simplest solution to this is to save the video as an mp4 file, and then play back with whatever video player you normally use outside of PowerPoint.
The entire series of lessons on Micro-organisms provides enough material for over 10 one-hour lessons, but you can be selective. (bundle available here)
The series covers:
Introduction to Micro-organisms
The Microscope and Microscope Art
Bacteria, The Immune System and Antibiotics
Viruses, Vaccines and Virus Art
Fungi & Fungi Art
Additional misc. activities
The 5-star rated lessons have proven extremely popular with both teachers and students and comprise:
self-contained PowerPoint lessons packed with thought provoking material
loads of painstakingly selected, embedded videos (if you need to detach the videos, see here)
Worksheets (with answers) in Word providing individual and class activities.
Note that there is no Preview File to download.
Instead, Session 1 (Introduction) is FREE to give you a feel for the material - you won’t be disappointed.
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
Search words: quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurisation, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhalation, microbe, virus, bacteria, fungus, organism, disease, microscope, electron, contaminate, epidemic, pandemic, electron, light, metric, lens, convex, concave, optical, symbiotic, exponential, infectious, infect, antiseptic, plaque, toxin, toxic, compost, mucus membrane, quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurization, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhale, habitat, spore, parasite, mushroom, toadstool, species, volva, gills, mycelium, disperse, mould, mildew
A variety of exercises to give children practice at using prepositions.
See Prepositions and Pronouns for a package on both Prepositions and Pronouns.
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.
Search words: literacy, grammar, prepositions, pronouns, worksheets
These exercises challenge students to find better alternatives for the often over-used and unimaginative words: "very", "nice" and "said".