Quick & easy teaching resources using Tonic Studio dies

Now that most children are at home, I thought it would be great if we could combine creativity with learning, especially if it meant we could use our own stash. With this in mind, I have put together a quick video showing a few ideas using Tonic Studios Beautiful Basket dies ...

I decided to create 4 baskets in different colours but you could create them in white card and the children paint or colour them. Below are lots of ways to use the baskets ...

IDEAS

Using the baskets can be great fun & also burn off a bit of energy whilst they look for things to fill them with. Also even though an idea appears "simple", you can always adapt it for an older audience. Here are some general ideas:

• COLOUR - what can you find in the house or the garden? Extension: Why are there so many different reds?

• ENGLISH - put a letter on the front of the basket & collect as many things as you can eg: S sock, spoon, slipper etc

• MATHS - give each basket a value & ask the children to put that amount in. Extension: How many objects do we have altogether? If I take away the contents of the green basket (for example), how many are left?

• MATHS - early divison - eg: put 9 items on the table and ask the child to split/divide equally between 3 baskets. eg: 12 items split between four etc etc If they cannot divide equally, why not? Is there a solution?

• ENGLISH - using 2 baskets put different words in to each that are opposite eg: happy & sad, tall & short. Get the child to chose one from each. Do they match? If not why not? This could be adapted for a phonics lesson.

• MATHS - put different numbers in to 2 of the baskets. Numbers chosen will depend on childs age. In the other 2 baskets put the operation symbols eg: add, take away, times & divide. Children pick 2 numbers & one operation symbol (younger) or two operation symbols (older). How many calculations can they make? How many can they solve?

• ENGLISH - put either different words or pictures in each basket & get the children to pick one from each. Make this an activity where you choose pictures from old magazines & discuss why they chose those pictures. Chance to use or explain verbs & adjectives etc
• YOUNGER CHILDREN - Can they put them in a sentence? Can they make a story with those in? Can they which should come first alphabetically?
• OLDER CHILDREN - Can they put them in to a sentence adding a verb &/or adjective to each picture (noun). Instead of a verb, an adverb

Above is only a small selection of ideas you can do with 3D containers. Children love the opportunity to fidget and putting things in to or getting out of something allows them to fidget. Also my ideas are all about having conversations with children, not always about right & wrong answers. The more children feel that they can share their ideas, however wacky/wild, the more they become engaged in a learning task.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Here are just a few to have a look at, to give you an idea of the type of things out there.

Have a parents hub where you can download lots, and I mean lots of resources, based on year group or ability or subject - EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3/4, SEND, EAL. They also give a lot of online resource ideas. Added bonus you can print off different board games around most subjects.

 KS1 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p

 KS2 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/zbr9wmn

 KS3 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z4kw2hv

Again all subjects covered at lots of abilities. Mainly screen based, Lots of online quizzes, learning games & also an are to save how they have got on etc

Mainly a US site but easily adaptable to UK. Lots of online games with fun bright colours ... oh & noises!

WOW Science - 

Does what it says on the tin lol Covers all the main key areas for the curriculum. Loads of "meet the" articles.

Now that is a very small idea of the type of things you can do with your dies to create resources. I have several more ideas planned & will get them "out" as soon as I can. If you want any help, let me know.

If you haven't seen the Tonic Studios Beautiful Basket dies before & interested in getting them, check out the Tonic stores where they are 60% off at the moment ... 

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Have fun creating & learning with your children,

Lou

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