Kent ICT Blog

I've needed to do this for pupils' Clicker5 video books! Drag a video, then a still picture from the video, into a cell, so that children can see which video is going to be played. Otherwise the cell is blank until clicked to play the video.

You can do this easily in Window Movie Maker - you should already have this in Accessories, as it was part of the Windows Service Pack 2 update. Load a file, move to the required point and click the camera icon below the video display.

There's a useful 30-day free trial - Topaz Moment. There are many download sites - use a search engine. The advantage over Movie Maker is that it sharpens up the image. It's also very simple to use.
Helen

I  have been receiving many requests for ideas for Maths investigations. Here are a few of the many fantastic online activities and lesson ideas on the internet. 

Online Activities

Maths Investigations from Subtangent
http://www.subtangent.com/maths/investigations.php

Count Us In
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/default.htm
Games designed to help children understand basic number concepts.

Bobbie Bear
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=3
Use counting strategies to make as many outfits for Bobbie Bear as you can, using different coloured shirts and shorts.

Turtle Pond
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=83
Guide a turtle to a pond using computer commands.

Lesson Ideas and Plans

Mathematics Investigations Lesson Plans
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/instruction-c/math/investigations/lesson_plans/k-5.php
Collection of lesson plans for primary aged children.

Population Pasta
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/09/pasta.html
In this student activity, students investigate population statistics. Using different types of pasta to represent different numbers of people, students experiment with using graphs, maps, and more to illustrate population densities.

Ideas for Maths Investigations
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/ufa10/investig.htm 
A variety of ideas.

How Many More Fish?
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=U51
This unit of work focuses on comparative subtraction. Pupils use fish-shaped crackers  to explore all five meanings for the operations of subtraction. 

Do It with Dominoes
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=U47
In this nine-lesson unit from Illuminations, students explore the four models of addition (counting, sets, number line, and balanced equations) using dominoes.

Mandy

I've written to Kent Teachers to recommend Microsoft's Image Resizer:

Mike Trodd says: "I also use a free piece of software for resizing pictures for my website (www.cecil-road.kent.sch.uk)  called Pix Resizer.  Really easy to use and give you good control over the file type and size.  Also does batch resizing very quickly!  Plus, it resaves the images so that your originals are not altered in any way!"
http://bluefive.pair.com/pixresizer.htm 
Helen

Maths TV has some fascinating Flash movies dealing with maths problems. It is deal for the IWB or for students to work through on their own.

http://www.actionmath.com/index.html

The maths problems are posed; then students follow along as a virtual instructor works through the solution. Each step-by-step solution is followed by an interactive word problem similar to the one in the video, and students take a turn at completing the solution. The practice area comes equipped with an online calculator and notepad for testing ideas or making a drawing.

Click on Tune in to begin.  

There is a new problem each week to solve. Whole numbers, fractions, percentages, ratios, probability, algebra and geometry are among the math topics explored.

Mandy

World Geography Quizzes
Great as a whole class activity or individual. Students can click on the region of the world and practice at different levels of difficulty.

http://sheppardsoftware.com/geography.htm 

Windows Local Live - Maps and bird's eye views
Windows Live Local has recently updated the air photo imagery for the UK. Check out this link that contains pointers to all the spots that are covered including Dover and Crockenhill near Swanley. 

Basically Live Local is Microsoft’s rival to Google Maps.

http://local.live.com/ 
(Notice the URL: it is not windowslivelocal.com, which appears to be a parasite.)

Mandy

Northumberland Grid for learning have produced three interactive fable stories.   Each fable is read by a native speaker. The text can be shown or hidden to encourage listening skills.
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/languages/Fables/default.htm

Mandy