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Upper Primary Teaching Tips: Recognition

aussiestarresourcesau · Dec 10, 2017 · Leave a Comment

For this week's upper primary teaching tip we're going to explore the importance of giving your upper primary students recognition.

Does your school have perks for the older students? Everybody loves to have something that signifies they're moving up in the world and upper primary students are no different.

Maybe they get to sit on chairs at assembly or be house captain or chairperson of the SRC? These perks are a great way to show recognition of their senior position within the school and are some of the first things students mention when asked what they’re looking forward to about being in Year 6.

You can do this in your classroom as well, by including students in their learning, asking for their ideas and opinions and providing fun self-directed learning activities (with your guidance of course).

Listening to students and allowing them to have a say in classroom management is a great idea too. Here are a few ways you can give your students recognition in the classroom and wider school community.

1. Flexible seating

Allow students the choice of where and how they sit in the classroom. This will need to be managed and have set rules and expectations but it is a great way of allowing students to demonstrate their growing maturity through making choices and behaving responsibly.

2. Added responsibilities

Look for opportunities for your students to help around the school and take on roles that are suited to their age and increasing sense of responsibility. Here's some examples I've seen at various schools:

* Manage the PA system at assembly
* Help out with borrowing and returns in the library
* Serve the canteen or help with prep
* Manage the borrowing system for sports equipment
* Organise lunch time games and activities
* Help duty staff keep the school crossing safe at drop off and pick up time
* Help set up for special events
* Help the junior primary students with logging on for their IT lesson (the JP teachers will LOVE this)

3. Relax your stance (just a little bit)

I rarely make older students line up to move between classes or around the school. I also rarely make them sit on the floor to listen to stories or hear instructions. I find sitting on the floor for extended periods uncomfortable and so do they. They also find it a bit demeaning which isn't conducive to a great relationship.

Obviously there are times when I've needed them to line up and I find because it's such a rare occasion they do it quickly and quietly because they realise for something important (like a head count on excursion or class photos or during an evacuation drill).

Relaxing your stance on things like this is a small but very effective way to show students your recognise their position as older students and they respond well to it and feel proud that they no longer need such strict procedures and protocols. That said, it still needs to be managed by you. If they aren't able to demonstrate the maturity to move around the school as a quiet sensible group or sit at their desks without being distracted go back to lining up and sitting on the floor and try again later in the term when you think they might be ready. Also, explain to them what your expectations are and that you believe they are capable of doing this so it's up to them to show you.

These are just a few of the possible ways you can give your students recognition as the senior students in your primary school. There are many other ideas and tips for teaching upper primary students and I will explore these further in future posts. In the meantime sign up for VIP access, in our free resource library you will find our Goal Setting Flip Book which is the ideal way to start the year with your class.

I'd love to hear from you about how you provide recognition for your upper primary students.

Take care

Amy

My Go-To Australian Federation Teaching Resources

aussiestarresourcesau · Nov 9, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Having the right resources can take your lessons to the next level and really reduce your stress levels. Here are my go to Australian Federation teaching resources that are sure to make teaching this boring topic far more interesting and fun - for you and your students.

Need a crash course in Australian Federation?

If you feel that your understanding of Federation needs a refresher check out our posts on Engaging your Students with Federation and The Argument for Federation. Basically, Federation happened in 1901 (after many years of discussion and debate) when the colonies voted to become one nation with a Federal Government that serves the people of Australia and is bound by the Constitution.

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Worth the read!

If you're looking for more facts and figures and information about Federation and the events that led to it check out the Australian Electoral Commission Education website it has fact sheets that are full of information!

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The National Archives also have several resources that you might find helpful, especially about how the constitution was drafted, reviewed, edited, reviewed and eventually voted on. You can check out this information by clicking on this link.

This PDF fact sheet from the Parliamentary Education Office is also a handy reference about Australia’s Federation. The PEO are a great place to start if you’re looking for information about Australia’s political history.

Australian Federation teaching resources at the ready!

My despair at the lack of Australian Federation teaching resources was the catalyst for Aussie Star and I've received a huge amount of feedback from teachers expressing delight and gratitude for our range of Australian Federation resources. Here is a brief rundown on what's available.

Reasons For and Against Federation

This was the very first resource that I ever created and it has recently been updated to be even more engaging and interactive. It is a great discussion starter and is a simple but highly effective way to help students identify and sort the reasons for and against Federation.

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Federation Vocabulary Flip Book

With every new topic there are always a few key words that students need to be able to understand to fully grasp concepts. This flip book dictionary has 6 words that are all related to the topic of Federation. Students are required to define each word and practise using it in context. They are then able to assemble their dictionary to form a funky little flip book that they can refer to later.

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Australian Federation Hall of Fame

This activity is great fun!
There were several gentlemen who were instrumental in bringing about Federation and this resource is designed to introduce them to your students. They will be able to conduct their own research to find out key information about each person and then enter it in to their Hall of Fame. Once they've got to know these famous faces of Federation they can create a grand double door entrance for their Hall of Fame.
We’ve received great feedback from teachers about this resource for example Michelle said, “Thank you! This saved me hours of work and the children were engaged for what could have been a "boring" lesson!”

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Australian Federation Foldable Timeline

Timelines are a prominent feature in the Australian HASS Curriculum and with good reason. The road to Federation was long and filled with debates, draft constitutions, more debate and a couple of referendums. Without understanding the process students won’t really appreciate the significance of the decision to Federate and how it impacted the development of the Australia they know today.
Creating foldable timelines is a great way to make sorting information into chronological order interesting and memorable.

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Sir Henry Parkes Cloze Activity

While not the most exciting bloke Henry Parkes was a major advocate for Federation. He traveled around and gave long rousing speeches about the reasons Australia should Federate. This cloze activity is a great way for students to meet Henry and learn about his role in Federation.

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Edmund Barton Research Puzzle

Edmund Barton was our first Prime Minister and another advocate for Federation and is therefore, worth getting to know. This activity requires students to research information about Edmund and use their answers to unjumble the puzzle to form his image. They must also record the websites they used and the keywords they entered to demonstrate their ability to use reliable information sources and search efficiently.

Each of these resources is available in our shop for immediate download.

Teaching Federation can be fun and interactive, it is a pretty boring topic but by using some of the ideas above hopefully you can spice it up for your students.

Let me know if you have any other ideas that you've found helpful in your classroom to teach Federation. I'd love to hear about it.

Take care

Amy

Hands-on History at Old Parliament House Canberra

aussiestarresourcesau · Nov 5, 2017 · Leave a Comment

I’ve mentioned previously that the Aussie Star family traveled to Canberra earlier this year. There’s no question that the Museum of Australian Democracy (or Old Parliament House) was the highlight of the trip for all of us but particularly for Miss 11. We went twice and if she’d had her way we would have gone back again. She rated it even higher than Questacon! I also have no doubt that Grace got a great deal out of it from an educational perspective since she is in Year 6 and has been learning about Australian Government in her HASS classes at school. She spent ages reading information plaques, interacting with the touch screens and following their instructions to move around the display.

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5 Reasons you should visit Old Parliament House

Given her enthusiasm for Old Parliament house I asked her for her Top 5 reasons to visit the Museum of Australian Democracy as part of your trip to Canberra and here’s what she said.

I liked that they had loads of hands-on things to do.
It was so cool sitting in the big seats in the Upper and Lower Houses.
I liked that you could spy on the Prime Minister in his office through a spy hole!
It only cost $5 for the whole family. What a bargain!
They have a little kid’s area and an awesome dress-up photo area.

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Getting in to character at The Museum of Democracy

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All day fun with an Australian History lesson too!

There’s not much that’s off limits at Old Parliament House. Grace and Mr 3 loved sitting on the deep worn leather seats in the Upper House and Senate, they’re surprisingly comfortable and I can understand how they could be tempted to nod off during parliament! The Speaker of the House’s office was very plush and while you’re not allowed to sit at the official desk you can sit at the secretary’s desk and have a great time looking efficient typing away and answering phone calls like these two monkeys.

Hands on fun in the press room.

Hands-on learning and engaging activities

The Press Room was also a favourite, sitting in the sound proof booth and reading a press release for others to hear in the next room was a highlight as were Bob Hawke’s office, the dress-up room and the Cabinet room with its sound proof door and plush interior.

For parents of little people there’s an excellent playroom that kept our little guy entertained for ages and gave us all a place to rest up before more exploration.

If you’re heading to Canberra, either on your own or with your class for camp, make sure you add The Museum of Australian Democracy to your itinerary. I’ve been twice as part of a school group and the guides are wonderful however, I would allow time for small group exploration if you have enough teachers and parent helpers. I saw more, and engaged in the museum more, by just being free to wander the halls and explore so if you have time this is worth doing after your guided tour.

So, there you have it, Grace’s top 5 reasons to visit Old Parliament House in Canberra and my quick run-down to back them up. The museum really has been well planned and organised to maximise learning opportunities and to genuinely engage students with Australia's democratic history. Make sure you visit when you’re in town. If you’re looking for some more information their website is very helpful.

I’d love to know your favourite place to visit in Canberra or the highlight of your school trip so feel free to leave a comment below.

Take care

Set the course for your Australian Explorers unit

aussiestarresourcesau · Oct 22, 2017 · Leave a Comment

I loved learning about the Australian Explorers waaay back in 1986 with one of my favourite teachers Mrs Gunn (awesome name for a teacher hey? #dontmesswithher).

It was one of my favourite topics at school and I can remember being enthralled with stories of Captain Cook and his adventures, fascinated by the mystery of Ludwig Leichhardt and his disappearance, and baffled by the poor choices of Burke and Wills. The topic of explorers was exciting and interesting, so much so that 30 years later I can still remember it.

Set off your unit on Australian Explorers on the right foot

Starting a new topic in any subject is exciting, the students are ready to move on to something new, and let’s face it, we usually are too. Starting a new topic well is vital and sometimes this can be a challenge and kill the fun before it gets going. To help you get your Australian Explorers teaching unit off to a great start I’ve put together some ideas that might help you get your classroom expedition ready and inspire your students.

Ahoy there!

Decorate your classroom to look like the inside of a ship. Raid op shops, garage sales and antique shops for old furniture, wooden chests of various sizes, vintage looking bottles, books, telescopes, boating paraphernalia such as buoys and ropes, and other bits and pieces. Consider a new teacher chair that is worthy of a ship’s Captain or a wooden chest that holds dodge balls and cricket bats. Setting the scene will help your students to connect with the Australian explorers and give them some hands-on fun to engage with the topic outside of HASS lessons.

Land ahoy!

Guide your students to your new topic by inspiring them with old maps, drawings, letters and diary records. There are many images available online of detailed drawings done by Botanist Joseph Banks while on his voyage with Captain James Cook. There are also many images of captain cook’s journals. Or you could even create your own aged looking journal that students can record the day’s events in. If you are lucky enough to have a quill and ink pot this would add to the authenticity. Map shops and online suppliers have vintage maps that can be purchased and laminated for later use.

Stock ye slop chest!
Dress ups are still loved by older students and some rough and ready explorer attire can help set the mood and inspire your students to get in to character. You may even have a local theatre group who may like to come in and help the students dress up and act out the story of the Australian explorers. Your local Maritime Museum may have some helpful advice too.

Craft ye Companion Way!
I love to decorate the windows of my classroom – Cut out circles to create portholes or if your school allows it paint them to create a desert scene or ocean waves. If your school doesn’t allow painting on the windows I have seen a very clever solution! Stretch Cling wrap across the window, secure with clear sticky tape, and then paint on the Cling Wrap! It can easily be removed by peeling off. Genius!

I hope you've found these ideas helpful! If you're looking for more inspiration I’m always adding more ideas to my Australian Explorers Board on Pinterest.

If you're looking for a great start to your unit on Australian Explorers our Australian Explorers Intro Pack with 5 activities is the perfect solution. Click on the image to check it out!

Canberra – A City Built for Learning

aussiestarresourcesau · May 18, 2017 ·

Recently the Aussie Star family went on holiday to Canberra. Our daughter changed schools a couple of years ago. While she’s very happy where she is, it did mean that she would miss out on going to Canberra for camp in year 6. Also, I have taken students to Canberra for camp a couple of times and think it is one of the best family holiday destinations in Australia – there is so much to do!

So, we set off from our home near Adelaide and broke up the 16 hour drive across three days. We travelled through Western Victoria, stayed at Goroke, then Rushworth and finally made it on to the Hume Hwy to Canberra on the third day. It was a lot of driving but we got there! I felt very inspired driving through the old gold mining areas and stopping to take photos of Melville’s cave at Mt Arapiles.

The first time I went to Canberra on camp with my class I was extremely nervous! The thought of taking 40 students interstate on a long bus trip, with a day in the snow, seemed daunting. But I needn’t have worried – it was brilliant! There are so many things to do and see, that the students were always engaged and ready to go. The other wonderful thing was that the students were really able to consolidate their learning in HASS. In first semester we had focused on topics like Australian Federation, Civics and Citizenship, and Experiences of Democracy. We were also able to have the perfect introduction to our Earth Sciences unit by visiting the Geo Science Centre.

These learning opportunities were my major motivation for taking the family to Canberra and, as usual, it didn’t disappoint. If you ask my husband he will probably tell you it wasn’t a very restful holiday, because I had organised an itinerary that didn’t allow for much down time! If you ask me, I think we could’ve fit a couple more things in.

Even if you’re not going to Canberra for your school camp, it is well worth including a few lessons on Canberra in your HASS unit. Help students understand the history, purpose and function of our nation’s capital. Here I’ve listed a few points to get you started. There are lots of resources online to help and I’ve included links to them with each point in the title.

Parliament House

In Canberra they call it New Parliament House which makes me laugh considering it’s nearly 30 years old. But it does distinguish it from Old Parliament House. This building is spectacular and consists of approx 4500 rooms! Everywhere you look there are clocks (2700 to be exact) so there’s no excuse for an MP to miss out if a division is called. I’d love to be there to see that!

An interesting fact I learned on this trip is that Romaldo Giurgola, the principal architect, designed the building with our nation’s democracy in mind. You’ve probably noticed that Parliament House is built into Capital Hill. This is because he believed that the building shouldn’t tower over the people and dominate them. Instead, it was designed so Australia’s citizens could actually climb it and stand above their government. The Aussie Star family were pretty keen to take advantage of this, so we took the lift up and stood on top of our government! (And stretched Mr 3’s legs)

Join a tour group if you are visiting Parliament House. I highly recommend it! The guides are a wealth of information and do a great job of catering to all ages.

Old Parliament House

This gracious old building is now called the Museum of Australian Democracy and was Miss 11’s favourite place on our trip. We went twice and, had time permitted, we would have gone again! (I would have gone for the chocolate slice in the cafe alone!)

You can really explore this building and it is very hands-on and interactive. We sat in the big comfy chairs of the Upper and Lower Houses and discussed what the roles and responsibilities of each house are. We climbed up to the Press Gallery, and also peeked through the spy hole between Bob Hawke and his Secretary’s office! The kids loved pretending they were giving a live media release – especially when it came out on the speakers in the next room. We listened to the stories of the Prime Ministers and looked at how Australia’s democracy has evolved over the last 116 years. We waited patiently while the kids typed important documents in the Speakers chambers and took lots of photos in the dress up area. There is so much to do in this wonderful place for all ages. The hands-on learning opportunities are wonderful! And there is the opportunity to join a tour group if you would like more information.

If you intend to go to The Museum of Australian Democracy allow plenty of time. If you’re not visiting, check out their website and explore their comprehensive range of teaching resources for years 5 and up that can be used in your classroom.

In the next post I’ll focus on two more locations and provide you with further information about the learning opportunities of each place. Stay tuned!

Cheerio