As we’re fast approaching Christmas, it seemed like just the right time to do a Topic collection on Toys.
It’s a great cross-curricular topic and with the vast number of resources on KnowledgeBox plus a few of the best sites on the web, you can really bring it alive and give it that extra twist of excitement.
A great way into this topic is to use the Pixar film ‘Toy story’ to talk about favourite toys.
No doubt the vast majority of your class will have seen the film already but even if they haven’t you can show them clips from the Disney site. They’re a great starting point for talking about favourite toys and what they think their own toys would be like if they came to life.
You could do some exciting literacy work here, getting your children to draw their favourite toys, to add speech bubbles with the sorts of things the toys might say and then to describe the personalities of their toys. Take it one step further, cut out the drawings and mount them onto sticks of card or pencils and use the toys as puppets.
KnowledgeBox – for high quality photos of toys
Type Toys into Advanced search and select photos from the Resource type list
If you need photos to stimulate discussion, type “Toys” into the KnowledgeBox search and select “Photos” from the resource type list. You’ll find a whole range of photos and don’t forget you can copy and paste them out of KnowledgeBox and use them for displays or in presentations, to make games or worksheets.
If you want something that you can just pick up and use, type “Photo album toys” into Quick find and use the Interactive Photo album with its onscreen tools and detailed teacher notes. You don’t even have to think up the questions – it’s all been done for you.
Working with Toy data
Type “Toy box data” into Quick find and I’m sure you’ll find this piece of MathsWorks software really useful. You can choose how many toys you want to sort and the toy type and then use it to clearly explain how bar charts are constructed and to ask questions.
If you don’t have MathsWorks on your KnowledgeBox and would like to find out more about this module, please call 0800 567 8032 or email enquiries@uk.knowledgebox.com
Toys then and now
- Really make this topic cross-curricular and take a look at Toys in the past. Type “Toys then and now” into Quick find and use the Question path on your whiteboard. It’s a great collection of pictures, photos, teaching ideas including ‘Make a toy museum’, and websites.
- I highly recommend the Museum of Childhood site. Go to the Kids’ pages and click on the ‘Moving toys’ link where you’ll find a set of video clips showing how different toys move. A great resource for DT and science but also great fun. I think my favourite has to be the Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble clip.
- Question paths on Vehicles and Puppets can be found in the Question paths DT Key stage 1 module.
More from the web
- Your pupils will love the Poisson Rouge site with its interactive toy box. It’s simple and so effective. Just click on the toys and play with them on screen. They are so well programmed that they behave just like real toys.
- Take a look at the Top 10 toys for 2008 on the BBC website to see what today’s child wants in their Christmas stocking. I’m leaving it up to you to decide whether or not you want to share this with your pupils – I accept no responsibility for children going home wanting to change their letters to Santa!
And finally…
If all this talk of toys is making you feel nostalgic, treat yourself to a visit to the BBC Cult ‘I love toys’ website but don’t blame me when you find you have lost a good hour of your life cooing over space hoppers and choppers!
Enjoy…
Catharine, Producer
Filed under: Lesson ideas, News Tagged: | Christmas, DT, history, Key Stage 1, KS1, Lesson idea, literacy, maths, museum of childhood, Pixar, toy story, toys
