Our Best Links for Learning How To Code--Learn in just one hour!

I'm so glad you so liked coding this morning. And I'm so impressed with how well you worked in pairs to learn together... you were great! This video is a cool one that encourages us all to give it a go... give it an hour!

And so here are the links for you to get really good at coding by yourself.

1. The Games We Played This Morning (You Choose Which... I recommend the Grades 1-3 game for everyone to begin with) thanks to twynker.com
2. Next week we're going to go on to the Learning Section of Code.org, where we'll get to control an Angry Bird! :)  
3. And when you've finished that, then you're ready to code to create your own game with the Flappy Bird! (Tip: look at the 2 minute video first [it's in the bottom left corner])
   (THIS is the game that I created... have fun!)
4. And for the one or two of you who get really really good (maybe more of you???) then I recommend the Code Academy page which is meant for grown ups to learn, but maybe you can give it a go? I'd say you're well able for it. 

Why code? Well, in this video will-i-am reckons "Great Coders ARE today's rock starts... that's it!". If you want more reasons, well, it's art (it's YOU who is CREATING, not just using), it's fun (you get to build great things), it's problem-solving (you get to expand your brain so you can solve real-life problems easier and quicker), and it's YOU who is IN CONTROL!

Yes, it's "hard" at first but so is everything. Stick with it, that's the way to become good at anything.

'Work' You'll Enjoy For Your Strengths and Needs

So, like we have learned, we all have strengths. We all have needs. We are all unique. We are all intelligent in many ways. 

Think of YOUR strengths, YOUR needs. 

What ones do you want to 'work' on right now? YOUR choice...

1. Maybe do "a little, a lot", which means do 30 minutes now, and take a break, 30 minutes later today, and take a break, and so on; OR
2. Maybe do a different "a little, a lot", with 30 minutes today, 30 minutes tomorrow, 30 minutes the day after, and so on... make it a great habit for yourself

First of all, before you try out MY links, give yourself a present and click here on Scoilnet and try out the links on the right hand side, sorted by subject. Enjoy!

Now, here are some of MY great links sorted by subject (just a few links per subject)...

Drama

I love when people IMPROV, but sometimes you can't beat a good script... 

• Use this site to find a script you like and then practice being one or all of the characters. Think: just how would each person say their line... what tone, what speed, what feeling... and how would they move their body? 

Music

• Love the orchestra... have fun exploring and discovering the gorgeous different sounds (thanks to Carnegie Hall). If you've already been on this trip, learn the same things in a different way at the San Francisco Symphony (orchestra)
• Try out their Music Lab to explore just what is it that makes music music!

PE/Physical Education

PE is hard to do in the home... but not impossible! 

• Here's a great five minutes of fun dance to try your best with. Enjoy!

ICT/Computer Skills:
During your life, you'll be typing maybe 100 times more than you'll be hand-writing. Wouldn't it be good to be good?

• Ten-Finger Typing from typingweb.com Can you improve your speed each day? Yes, you can. Now, no cheating! Ten fingers to do it right. Within a little while you'll be up to 20 words per minute, and maybe even faster! School record... 39 words per minute. 
• Already pretty good at ten-finger typing? Go straight on to the Most Common English Words typing. 

English Reading: 

• Tumblebooks and more--isn't it great that all these books are FREE! What are your favourites? Maybe tell the rest of us on our kidblog
• If you can have no problems with these BBC KS1 activities then you know the basics
• These BBC KS2 activities are harder! See what you can learn/practise. 
• Don't forget scoilnet!

Irish Reading and Sounds

• Simple Books in Irish with Sounds (Click on the boxes at the top to switch story)(Have the sound turned on!)(Try this one for your first story, about a dog called Brian's life)
• Don't forget scoilnet!

English Writing
The best writing site I've found... just in one site we can learn about how to write better... better arguments(!), better reports, better recounts... better! All on the the BBC KS2 English Writing site. And, if you want to make sure you know the basics, use the bbc ks1 site!

Vocabulary (The Words We Use)
How good are you at finding the right word to use at the right time? We ALL need practice at this. First we have to understand new words, and then it's so important that we USE them.

• This wonderopolis.org website has a new page every day with a new Wonder of the World... look on the right hand side to see the meanings of 'tough' words. It'd be best to write down new words and add them (when you can) to your Vocabulary notebook.

Religion
As Christians the key to following Jesus' example is (1) know about Jesus and (2) pray -- open your heart to God.

• The Lego Movie is out at the moment in the cinemas. Here Lego Men tell the life of Jesus and here Lego Men tell of the dangerous adventures of Jesus Apostles after they received the Holy Spirit. 
• The 5-minute meditation video with sounds of peaceful bells that we love (maybe use this when praying or to prepare your self to pray -- it calms you, it "stills your mind", meaning it helps you "shut up" (!) your noisy mind so that you can experience the beauty and peace of life all around you and in you right now)
• Prayers you could say that are said all over the world by Catholics
• Images of the Holy Spirit you could practice drawing
• A four-minute youtube cartoon about the life of Pope Francis
• Don't forget scoilnet!

Maths/Engineering/Construction/Science

• Here's the bridges game! :)
• And 23 (23!) more games like that: which one do you think we should all get time to play in ICT Class?  
• By the way, here's a NEW Irish site about bridge building that tells you everything you could want to know including "Bridges of Dublin" and Disasters!
• Curious about any thing? Got questions about any THING? That's what SCIENCE is all about? And here's MOLLY to answer your questions! What's the thing that most wow's you? 
• Ready for learning more about other animals in this amazing world: Is there a better site than the National Geographic for this?
• The amazing BBC KS2 Science site, with facts, videos, and games. (If you want to understand easier stuff, choose the BBC KS1 science site.) 
• Don't forget how good mathletics is for your maths :) 
• The amazing BBC KS2 Maths site, with lessons, videos, and games. (If you want to go easier, choose the BBC KS1 maths site.)
• Here's a post I already have up on this blog, giving you some of MY favourite links to great Maths sites
• And here's Maths Attack, an Irish Maths game that's quick and -- for me -- hard! What's your highest score? 
• Don't forget scoilnet!

Geography

• On another post, I've put my best geography and maps links for you. 
• Maps are really important. Here are maps showing how Dublin has grown from nothing.
• The stunning Google Earth (you might already have it downloaded onto your computer).
• And here is everything-geography from the BBC!
• Don't forget scoilnet!

History
History is HUGE! There's so much it's hard to put in enough links. Which do you find most amazing?

• the BBC site for primary school children or 
• the Channel 4 site? 
• Don't forget my links for World War One!
• Don't forget scoilnet!

SPHE

We all know how important it is to make the best decisions for our selves. 

• How well do you know about putting the best food into you, the best fuel, to power your life, to make you power-full!
• How well do you know what to do if you are being cyber-bullied?
• You'll all be leaders in your lives, including in the classroom. Here's ten ideas on how to lead others: all different ideas, much to think about: What IS a good leader? What does he/she do? 
• Choosing Positive Thoughts and not getting stuck in situations with negative thoughts: this little video is simple but it's simply brilliant too (did you see the bit with Nelson Mandela?)

Art

Art is hard to do on a computer. So don't! Do it yourself at home without the computer!! Or, if you really really want to do it on the computer, try these... 

• Create a collage using The Collage Machine (from the USA's National Gallery)
• Practice your drawing using one of your favourite uncles, Fred
• My favourite... Brushter! Have fun! (Try out all the different brush sizes, brush types etc at the bottom... it's [almost] just like the real thing!)

Have you ever heard any child ever say they're bored? 

With the web and all the great stuff above, could they be bored? (If you do have a younger brother or sister who's saying that, just show them this post and let them loose to enjoy themselves!)

Some Useful Climate Change Websites for us to do research...

So, next week, February 12th we'll be presenting in the hall our knowledge about Climate Change. Working in one of four groups, you'll be an expert!!

Remember the four groups:

1. What is Climate Change?
2. What are the causes?
3. What are the effects?
4. What can we do about it?

Here's some websites to help us revise what we learned two weeks ago...

1. From the USA comes NASA's info on climate change, presented for kids your age
2. eschooltoday has lots of well-presented pages
3. the bbc also has some good pages, but they're for older kids so just look for the most important bits (ignore most of the detail!)
4. And this is a lovely-looking site featuring Tiki the Penguin

Most importantly, don't forget your great great notes in your Notes Copy from our afternoons learning all about Climate Change.

(Edit 4th Feb: For the group doing the "Effects" of Climate Change, have a look at today's news ...
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ireland-facing-a-fortnight-flooding-due-to-atlantic-storm-factory-29976498.html ), especially where it says...

Some experts believe the melting polar ice in the Arctic as a result of global warming is fuelling the increased storms.

Peter O'Donnell from Irish Weather Online warned that many areas will be unable to take more heavy rainfall. "January was 70pc above normal for rainfall and about half a month's worth is likely to fall this week," he warned.

"This relentless heavy rainfall will be overtaxing the ability of smaller streams and urban drainage systems to cop. Eventually there will probably be some persistent flooding problems. These can be even worse near backed up tidal estuaries of rivers near the coastlines," he said. Residents coping with flooding in Limerick heckled Government ministers as they visited the scene of the storm damage in the city.

"Blog-a-Blog-a-Blog!" :) Kidblog.org/MrS2013

Isn't it great. In just 34 hours of being on kidblog.org you, the class, have created 50 posts and God-knows-how-many comments. 

You're the first class in the school to blog, ever. And you're one of the very first primary classes in Ireland who

Sites About Animals for ICT Class and Home

Okay, guys, these are the sites I mentioned in class. 

Types of Animals That There Are

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/classification/kc_classification_appearance.htm

Threats to Animals' Lives
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/endangered_animals/whats_the_problem.htm

Research The Most Popular Animals Here http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/best_place_species/alltime_top10/

And the very best website
www.kidsbiology.com (click on animals)

Off you go. Enjoy your research. I look forward to hearing what you discovered and learned. 

Best Sites to Learn About Geography — Maps, Nature, Environment, Animals...

Maps!

So, like we talked about in class, we've now had our parent-teacher meetings and we now have agreed-on individual plans for the next few months. I will give you the best resources I have to help you with your plans.

These sites below are for you all, but especially for those who plan to learn more about geography — maps, nature, animals, the environment...

I hope you have fun with them. Tell each other which you find best...

Interactive Maps (Ireland and the Whole World)

• Google Maps (Enjoy exploring traveling around the world with this); perhaps begin by typing in your own address and see what happens... where else do you want to travel? :) 
• An interactive map of Bawnogue thanks to the OSI (run by the Irish government)... can you find your home? can you describe your way to school? use this to explore Clondalkin or Ballyfermot or Lucan or Tallaght or the city centre or... it's up to you!
• And here's the interactive map of Ireland thanks to the OSI... go explore Ireland: have you ever been to Galway, to Belfast, to... (You can use the "Search" button to search by any address).

'All About Ireland' Maps

• Here's a map of the counties of Ireland (you can print this) to learn to help you with the games below...
• Two really fun games from the OSI to test how quickly you can find all the provinces and the counties of Ireland
• A fun quiz way to learn the Counties of Ireland
• Counties of Ireland on map (Drag and Drop)
• Mountains of Ireland on map(Drag and Drop)
• Rivers of Ireland on map (Drag and Drop)
• Cities and Towns of Ireland on a map (Drag and Drop)
• A Cool Photo of how Ireland looks from space: why do you think the east is smoother than the west?
• If you are doing a project on IRISH geography easily the best website is the OSI's: it has great information for you about Irish cities, towns, counties, mountains, rivers, and lakes.

'All About the World' Maps

• Here's a great map of the continents of the world (how many are there?)
• Here's a great map of the whole world (to help you with the games below!)
• Here's another great map of the whole world but this website has lots of extra things too, like all the flags of the world, timezones of the world, and so much more. Easily THE website to go to if you are doing a WORLD geography project.
• A fun quiz way to learn the 48 countries of Europe (the best score I've got so far is 130)
• A fun quiz way to learn the countries of Africa (got 83 for this, unimpressive)
• A fun quiz way to learn the 50 States of the USA (doh! I only got 86 for this... after having lived there for years!!)
• A fun quiz way to learn the countries of Asia 
• YOU Choose: A fun quiz way to learn ANYWHERE!

Other Map Skills

• Know the difference between W and NW, E and SE? 

Hope you like these. Soon I'll put up more geography websites here — about nature, animals, and the environment (the earth, space, pollution, and so much more). I love geography — one of my favourite subjects. Please email me any more great map sites you find!

The Best Websites For The Best Class

Yep, I believe we are becoming – one step at a time – the best class (not just in Talbot, but in Clondalkin, maybe even Dublin; who knows, maybe even Ireland!!). And so I feel it's my duty to root out the best websites for sixth-class children that there are (not just in Dublin, not just in Ireland, but in the world) and present them to you.

I'll keep adding to this list throughout the rest of they year. When we use one we like a lot in class when we're learning, then I'll add it here too.

For now, here's some websites where you're bound to find treasure. Make your choices...

Art

1. Enjoy looking at and marvelling at the work of great artists. Find your favourite few (click on the right). To enjoy each painting even more, ask yourself some questions, like "what colours does the artist use? what types of line are used? is there a story in the painting, if so what's going on, and what happened before and after the painting? how does the painting make you feel? And, what title would I have given it?"
2. Or maybe you'd prefer to watch some of 36 videos of great "modern art". Choose from the playlist on the right-hand side at the top. All geared towards kids your age. 
3. Or, for now you don't want to look at art, you want to make it! Fair enough, how about some practice drawing. Get a pencil and paper and off you go. Copy your favourite Uncle Fred.

You Any Good Making Things? Like Science? Like Engineering? 

1. Here's an addictive game where you have to construct different bridges. It's fun! But hard! First you have to design (the blue screen), then click on the top left button to test your design: As you know, I'm not much good at this type of thing so it took me 20 minutes to get past the first stage!! I'm still on the second, having a good laugh at my bridge as it collapses into the valley. Doh! 
2. For an amazing 14 more such games (when you find your favourite, maybe let others know about it), go to http://hoodamath.com/games/cargobridge2.php 

Are You One of Those Annoying Children With Questions?  

Then you'll love exploring the very very best Irish science website, primaryscience.ie. It's split up into loads of great sections, like:

1. where you can Ask Molly just about anything (like "how would you know if your goldfish is a boy or a girl?"!! or, "Could a bridge be built between Ireland and England?", or "Why does popcorn pop?" – cool questions!). 
2. Play some games (kids have too much fun these days!)
3. See if you know all about the most common shapes.
4. Become a space expert on the differences and similarities in the planets in our solar system.
5. Choose fun experiments to watch being done right in front of you.

Want to Do a Project?

There's so much great stuff to learn in this life!! But where to start? Kidport has a reference library that might just be the place to begin. 

Or, Maybe, Right Now, You'd Just Prefer To Sit Back and Read

It's for you that good people at your library have organised TumbleBooks for you. All you have to do is click, sit back, and enjoy. 

The Life of Jesus, Born 2,000 Years Ago into a Poor Family in a Sad Country Crushed by Romans

1. Jesus led a hard life and this site tells his story lego-style. I think you'll like it!
2. Jesus taught the people many things; again, this site tells the story lego-style!
3. Ready to pray? You ready to open the door of your heart to God and let him/her Love you? Okay: on this site... you decide who to pray for..., you say a prayer..., you feel God's peace. 

That's it for now. Hope you find lots you like! 

Free Visit to see Modern Art--in New York City

Recognise this from anywhere?! :) 

And now for something completely different... a visit to the MOMA in New York City. MOMA stands for Museum of Modern Art. It's a simple, but really good website, where YOU are the boss, choosing what to see and what to learn about. Enjoy!

6th Classers: You Can Do Anything You Want. Here's Videos of Jobs You Might Want in the Future...

Remember in September we looked at a long list of common and interesting jobs? And you chose one you might want at 20, another at 50, and another at 70. Well, it was really amazing to me to see how nearly all of you wanted different jobs at different ages. You realise you will probably have lots of jobs in your life: It's more interesting that way, and you get to use lots and lots of your skills.

Well, I just found a site, careersbox.co.uk, which might show you exactly what you'll be doing with some of your jobs. Loads of videos on the left hand side. Each video is about 3 or 4 minutes. In each video someone who works at the job tells us exactly what it's like. I think you'll find it an eye-opener! Maybe an older brother or sister might like it too. You might even see something ELSE that you want to do some day!

WOW--Just found this Great Resource for Learning Irish Easily: Frása an Lae / Phrase of the Day: 1 - 200 (playlist)

Each video takes just a few seconds and you can pause it and practice it and read it and write it and... whatever works best for you. Give it a go and see what learning method works best for you. Enjoy!

Websites You'll Enjoy! (For Munster--Third Class 2011-2012)

Hi everyone! And a Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all had a peaceful, joyful Christmas.

There's six days to go before school begins again. Right now the weather is bad! But you have loads of things you could do. Here's some fun learning websites for you to choose from.

Lots and Lots of Great News this week...

Here's this week's news. Hope I'm not missing too much!

Firstly, thanks to those parents who've been able to come in this week to discuss their child's English and Maths results. You're making a hugely positive influence on your child's learning. As you all know, YOU are the most important teachers in your children's lives, and I know that this class is blessed with such supportive, caring, and encouraging parents.

Secondly, we were all delighted to hear that a school in Tallaght picked two of our class's

News for Parents, Links for Kids

I promised the class today to post these two links for them to use.

1. First, www.kinderart.com/textiles/fingerknitting.shtml is the video we watched again and again to learn how to finger-knit. It's a lot of fun. And it gives you a real sense of achievement. A lot of the class brought home some wool to use. Go for it!
2. www.mathletics.ie/ is the amazing maths site, where you can get loads of points and can compete against kids all round the world LIVE! In just two days our class got up to 6th place in the whole of Ireland!! Well done, everyone! (And a special well done to Lee, Jordan, Abbie L, and Megan, who this morning were 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the top students in all of Ireland!!)

What else? Well, in English today we compared two great songs, Danny Boy and Johnny Cash's I Hung My Head and the kids really were brilliant in picturing what was going on in both songs. They realised both were about death and about life after death. They loved both and sang both really well.

THE PLAY... We're getting better and better with our rehearsals for the play. I hope you're going to be able to come. We're singing and dancing to two songs--Disney's I Wanna Be Like You and Glee's 'Don't Stop Believing'. And the acting is more realistic every time we do it.

NEWS FLASH ABOUT THE PLAY... I've just heard from the head organiser Ms Wynn that our class is scheduled to go on stage on the THURSDAY night, 23rd June (subject to official confirmation). Letters will go out on Monday.

TALBOT'S TOP TYPER COMPETITION... I hope to find time to have a competition between the classes. The top two from each class will go up against each other. I believe our class will do great... they have been brilliant at improving their ten-finger typing at www.typingweb.com If they want to win, that's a good site to go practice--it's a skill that will help them all their lives.

BASKETBALL BLITZ on Wednesday. Sr Catherine is asking us all to collect what we can for the children she knows living in a really, really poor area of South Africa. It's most important to give from the heart--that's real giving and helps make us better people. It's a good opportunity for the class to not just think of others, but put their Christian belief into action. €2 per sponsor. The money will go to things like getting water, windows, and toilets into the school there. I've just googled and found http://www.salesiansisters.net/ss/index.cfm/latest-news/the-city-of-hope-luskak-zambia/ where you can read about the humbling experience of one Irish volunteer, Michelle Brennan, in 2009.

Enjoy the weekend!

Websites The Kids Will Enjoy (and Learn From) During The Snow

Like me you've got the text that the school is closed again tomorrow (Thursday). Who knows about Friday. And so I want to give you a few education-type websites your child (and brothers/sisters/friends/you!) may well enjoy. I'll give you more during the year but here's a few for starters that I strongly recommend...