Tag Archives: KS1

Rubbing plates, a quick time filler on supply!

Rubbings! Keep the little ones busy and the bigger ones happy.
Time Fillers for supply teachers, essential resources for supply teaching
Stuck for an activity for a group of little ones on supply?  Grab some scrap paper, and either get the children to do the rubbings themselves, or do a few quick ones yourself… These lovely, colourful rubbing plates don’t need a photocopier password or internet connection! I have featured here Baker Ross’ jungle animal prints, but they also have floral and geometric rubbing plates. What other surfaces can the children find to do rubbings of? Send them out into the whole learning environment with a crayon and a piece of paper to collect three rubbings… Once they are finished, they have to return and quiz each other on their mysterious pictures. Can their partner guess what surface it is? Do they need a clue?

With the older children, try a Literacy activity based on the jungle, perhaps based on The Tyger by William Blake, and throw in a little The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) by The Tokens! After drafting, their writing could be written over a jungle rubbing.

Your turn – rubbing plate activities

How would you use these rubbing plates in class? We can probably see that they are most suited to tiny people, but what about the older children? How could you use rubbings in class of young adults? Let us know!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on sample cover letter to schools. Check out our resources area here too.

Taking Turns – Supply Teaching Tip

Younger children can find it difficult taking turns. At home some may be allowed to go first each time. It was youngest to oldest in my house for some time and my brother got to go first! Other children may not have experienced turn taking at all. For example, if they are an only child or if they don’t play such games with their parents. It’s a difficult thing to do when your whole body is telling you to go first, be first, and have more than one go at a time. This is especially true when you’re having fun or feeling competitive!

Quoits - a great way to help children learn about taking turnsClassroom teachers often have their own methods of helping the children to ‘take turns nicely’.  For whole group discussions, it is a great idea to let the children know the rules of engagement before they start. Some teachers may go for a particular order, reverse alphabetically, or the way they are naturally sat. Others have ways to randomise, such as throwing a teddy to the next person to show them that it is their turn.  I thought this quoits set might be quite a fun way to do it. You pass a ring round and the children can take their turn if they hook it. [Image contains an affiliate link.] A tighter circle, or a mat to stand on to have your go is recommended for the younger ones. Of course, now I have given you the dilemma of how to organise taking turns with the ring!

Taking Turns – Your top tips

This quite kinaesthetic idea might make some supply teachers recoil in horror. Getting the children to sit quietly and listen to each other is hard enough for some. Consider this however: give them an inch, and they may just be grateful for it, rather than playing you and taking the mile? What do you think? How do you organise the little ones and help them to learn about taking turns? Let us know!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Teachers should hold an appropriate teaching qualification – by HistoryGrump. Check out our resources area here too.