MathsEarly YearsNumber
Number Activity Mats
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-7
Twenty printable pages are available for download below. These can help your children to learn about the numbers from 1 to 20. Each page includes:
- A large number to colour,
- Numbers to trace,
- A set of shapes to colour,
- A sequence of numbers with a gap to complete,
- A drawing challenge which asks children to draw a specific number of items.
If you use these items with your children, we would love to hear your feedback. Leave a comment below…
Downloads:
Number Activity Mats – 1 to 10
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Number Activity Mats – 11 to 20
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EventsChristmas
Christmas Loop Cards
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
Contributor: Sue Baxter
Use these loop (or ‘follow me’) cards based on a Christmas theme.
To play the game:
- Cut out the cards and give one to each child in your class. Some children may have two cards if you don’t have enough children.
- The child with the starting card reads their question, i.e. ‘Who has the date of Christmas?’
- The child with the answer (i.e. 25th December), reads the answer and then reads the question on their card.
- Continue playing in this way until you have asked and answered all of the questions together and reached the ‘End Card’.
Thanks to Sue for contributing this resource!
Downloads:
Christmas Loop Cards
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EventsChristmas
Christmas Display Banners
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
A large collection of display banners is available to download below.
Use these on your classroom display board at Christmas time. The collection includes:
- Christmas (three versions)
- Merry Christmas (two versions)
- A Christmas Carol
- Christmas Around The World
- Countdown to Christmas
- Happy Holidays!
- Letters to Father Christmas
- Santa’s Workshop
- The Nativity
- The North Pole
Downloads:
Christmas Banner 1
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Christmas Banner 2
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Christmas Banner 3
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Merry Christmas Banner 1
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Merry Christmas Banner 2
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A Christmas Carol Banner
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Christmas Around the World Banner
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Countdown to Christmas Banner
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Happy Holidays Banner
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Letters to Father Christmas Banner
Download File
Santa’s Workshop Banner
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The Nativity Banner
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The North Pole Banner
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EventsChristmas
Christmas Word Mat
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
A printable word mat showing a selection of Christmas-themed vocabulary.
Let your children use this as a reference resource when they are writing or to help with their spelling of keywords at this time of year.
You could also challenge your children to make their own Christmas vocabulary resource using this example as inspiration!
Downloads:
Christmas Word Mat
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Books
The Suitcase
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Buy This Book * More books by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
When a strange-looking animal arrives pulling a big suitcase, the other animals are curious. What on earth could be inside that suitcase? A teacup? Maybe. A table and chair? Perhaps. A whole home and hillside with trees? This stranger must be fibbing! But when the animals break into the suitcase and discover a very special photograph, they begin to understand what the strange creature has been through, and together they create a very special welcome present…
English:
- Look at the front cover and discuss what the story might be about. Who are these creatures? What might they be saying to each other?
- Read the blurb on the back of the book and imagine the answers to the animals’ questions (Why is he here? Where has he come from? And just what is in the suitcase?).
- Write your own story about a special suitcase. What might be inside it? Who might own (or discover) it?
- Write a prequel to explain where the ‘strange animal’ came from. Why did he have a suitcase with him?
- Think of some speech / thought bubbles to accompany the illustrations.
- The text in the book is all written in direct speech. Can you rewrite it using reported speech?
- Look at each illustration and think of words / phrases to describe how each animal might be feeling. Can you think of synonyms for those words?
- At one point in the story, the animals discuss whether to look in the suitcase. Think of some pros and cons for this action.
- Write a sequel to this book. What adventures might these animals have together next?
- Record a ‘read-aloud’ video for this book. Here is one example:
Maths:
- The fox says that it is ‘impossible’ that there is a table and a chair in the suitcase. Can you think of other words linked to probability? Can you put them on a probability scale?
Science:
- Make a list of similarities and differences between the animals in this story.
- Can you create your own ‘strange animal’? How might it be adapted to live in a particular habitat?
Computing:
- Record a narrated version of the story. Can you add your own music and sound effects?
- Could you make a trailer for this book (or another of your favourite stories)? Here is one example:
Design Technology:
- Try to build a strong suitcase. What could you put inside it?
- Design a new home for the strange animal to live in. Make a floor plan to show the rooms inside this new house.
Art:
- Design a new tea cup for the strange animal to use when his one gets broken.
- Follow along with this video to draw some of the characters from the book:
Geography:
- If you were going on holiday with a suitcase, where would you go? How would you travel there? Can you find this place on a map and plan the journey? What would need need to take in a suitcase?
PSHE:
- At one point in the story, the fox says he doesn’t trust the strange animal. What does it mean to ‘trust’?
- At the end of the book, the animals show real kindness to the stranger. Think of times when you have been kind to others. Make a list of acts of kindness that you can take each day.
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MathsNumber
Match the Number Pairs
by Ideas Help
written by Ideas Help
Ages: 5-11
Can your children find all the number pairs on these activity sheets?
Use these fun activities to challenge your children and help them learn their number bonds.
This resource is from our Number Bonds Pack. Find out more at Teaching Packs.
Downloads:
Match the Number Pairs
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HistoryEgyptians
Books to teach children about Ancient Egypt
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
If your children are learning about the Egyptians, read some of these fiction and non-fiction books together. A description of each book is provided, along with a suggested age range.
All book links below are Amazon affiliate links.
Fiction Books
Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx
(Age Range: 6-9)
What will happen when Marcy has to follow her father Arthur to Egypt, where he is looking for the Book of Toth? Can she save him?
British Museum: The Curse of the Tomb Robbers
(Age Range: 7-9)
Learn how to read hieroglyphs in this puzzle adventure story. Can friends Nub and Iteti stop a gang of tomb robbers who are plotting to raid Queen Neith’s tomb?
The Ancient Egypt Sleepover
(Age Range: 8-11)
When Mo wins a sleepover in the museum, it is much more dangerous than he anticipates…
Time Travelling Cat and the Egyptian Goddess
(Age Range: 8-11)
What is stray cat Ka trying to tell her new owner, Topher, when she jumps on his computer keyboard and spells out the name of a city in ancient Egypt?
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll
(Age Range: 8-11)
Will 12-year-old detective Zet be able to solve the clues to find a stolen scroll and return it to its rightful owner? Learn fascinating facts about Ancient Egypt as you read this story by the creator of over 300 museum and VR exhibits!
The Adventurers and the Temple of Treasure
(Age Range: 8-11)
In their second adventure, Lara, Rufus, Tom and Barney travel through the wonders of Ancient Egypt to unearth one of the greatest treasure troves in history!
Secrets of a Sun King
(Age Range: 9-11)
Lilian Kaye finds a mysterious package that will lead her to a tomb in Egypt and a deadly curse. This exciting story is set in 1922 and is based around the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Non-Fiction Books
Egypt Magnified
(Age Range: 5-11)
Children enjoy hunting out the details in this book, supplied with a magnifying glass. This is a fascinating way to present the subject.
Everything: Ancient Egypt
(Age Range: 7-11)
A great reference book for general use, this National Geographic book if full of facts and illustrations.
Ancient Egypt (DK Eyewitness)
(Age Range: 7-11)
This reference book is packed with information and illustrations, in the usual DK format. Perfect for independent research.
Egyptology
(Age Range: 7-11)
This beautifully produced book is a firm classroom favourite; its unusual approach, including letters and even a board game never fails to draw children in.
Awesome Egyptians
(Age Range: 7-11)
In typical Horrible Histories form, this book presents “all the foul facts” about the Ancient Egyptians.
British Museum: Mummies Unwrapped
(Age Range: 7-11)
A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated guide to the process of mummification.
Pharaoh’s Boat
(Age Range: 9-11)
This book tells the story of the Cheops’ boat, buried near the Great Pyramid.
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PSHEArtColouringWellbeing
Mindfulness Colouring Images (Patterns)
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
Support your children’s wellbeing by asking them to colour these printable pattern sheets.
The resource below includes 15 different templates at different levels of complexity.
While they are colouring, you could also get your children to:
- Think of random acts of kindness they could do later in the day or week.
- Think of a time when they have been grateful for something.
- Think of a time when they had to overcome their fears and how they did it.
- Plan some goals for the future.
- Listen to some relaxing music.
- Make a mental list of things they have achieved in the past week, month or year.
- Focus on their senses. What can they see, hear, smell or feel right now?
- Use their non-dominant hand for the colouring. How does this feel?
- Count their breaths.
- Think of a compliment that they could give to somebody today.
- Share some jokes with a friend.
If you like these resources, remember to download our other mindfulness colouring resources, too.
Downloads:
Mindfulness Colouring Images (Patterns)
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EnvironmentGeography
Ways To Use COP28 In The Classroom
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
COP28 is the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. It is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30th November to 12th December 2023 and aims to accelerate global action to tackle climate change.
Teaching Ideas and Resources:
English
- Make a glossary of environmental terms with definitions (and diagrams, if possible), e.g. net-zero, climate change, renewables.
- Write a persuasive letter to encourage the UN to host the next climate change conference in your village, town or city.
- Write a letter to the leaders taking part in COP28. What would you like them to achieve at the conference?
- Write a letter to your teacher / headteacher / parents / MP to ask them to tackle a particular environmental issue in your local area.
- Download the resources inour Environment Pack.
- Organise a fund-raising event to raise money for an environmental charity. Make posters and write letters to encourage people to get involved.
- Write to a business to ask them to get involved in theRace to Zero by achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at the very latest.
- Can you think of different books that have an environmental theme (e.g.Somebody Swallowed Stanley,Greta and the Giants, andThere’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom)? Make a display in your library or reading area.
- Write a review of a book with an environmental theme to encourage others to read it.
- Write an email newsletter that is full of things that people can do to help the environment.
- Write a biography of Greta Thunberg, David Attenborough or another person who works to help the environment.
- COP28 gets its name because it is the 28th time this annual event has taken place (It did not happen in 2020 due to the pandemic.). What kind of issues do you think will be discussed at COP40 or COP100? Make a list.
- Write a story set in a place that has been affected by climate change; for example, somewhere that has been flooded or is suffering from drought.
Maths
- Imagine that you were given the task of allocating $100bn to tackle climate change issues. How would you spend the money? Make a spreadsheet to show how much you would allocate to different environmental projects.
Science
- What is climate change? Write a report to teach younger children about the environment and what we can do to improve things.
- Usethis resource from WWFto teach key terms about climate change and discuss its causes and impact.
- Downloadthese resources from ypteto use with older children (9+) who are studying climate change.
- Learn about greenhouse gases withthese information cards from NASA.
Computing
- Make a presentation or website about Expo City Dubai, where the event will be held.
- Write a series of social media posts to encourage people to get involved in environmental issues in their local area.
- Design a logo for the next climate conference.
Design Technology
- Reuse ‘waste’ materials to make a sculpture that represents an environmental issue (e.g. a turtle in the ocean or a wind turbine generating renewable energy).
Art
- Imagine that you could visit Dubai during the conference. Design a poster or banner to display at the event.
- Create a drawing / painting / sculpture to represent the environment. Could you display this in a prominent area with information about climate change and how people can help?
Music
- Write the lyrics to a song about an environmental issue. Can you compose a melody to accompany it?
Geography
COP28 is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Find the city on a map. How is it similar / different to where you live?
Make a route to show how you could travel to the United Arab Emirates. How long would the journey take?
Watch The OceanMakerand discuss the difficulties caused by drought.
History
- Climate Change has been brought about by human activity, but the climate of the Earth has changed many times in the past. Usethis interactive timeline to see how the Ice Ages affected the geography of Britain (scroll down to Changing Geography).
Languages
- Research words related to climate change in the language you are studying.
PSHE
- Discuss what actions we can take to fight climate change, such as walking or riding a bike rather than taking the car or using reusable water bottles. What gets in the way of doing these things? How can we encourage our friends and family to help? Make a poster of things that we can all do.
- Greta Thunberg started her campaign by leading school strikes. Initially, she did this on her own, but it grew into a worldwide movement, with millions of people taking part. Make a list of other leaders, such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, who have taken part in protests. What qualities do you think they had? How can we inspire other people to take action?
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HistoryWorld War 1
World War One Display Resources
by Mark Warner
written by Mark Warner
Ages: 5-11
Save time putting together your history display board by using these free banners and display letters!
The resources below can be used as part of your World War 1 topic and include:
- World War One Banner
- The Great War Banner
- World War One Display Letters
- Trench / Sandbag Texture Display Letters
Let us know if you use these in your classroom. We would love to see a picture!
Downloads:
World War One Banner
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The Great War Banner
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World War One Display Letters
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Trench / Sandbag Texture Display Letters
Download File
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