Guest Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 I'm having trouble with the writing area in my classroom, although the children do use it they don't seem to have any direction or purpose when using it and most of them are "like butterflies, not bees" with this area. In order to get them more involved I was hoping to try introducing writing boxes. These would have resources in them specific to a particular job or area of writing which they can get out and use to role play that sort of thing. I think this will get them much more involved in actually doing some real writing in the area as most of them are more than capable of it. The problem is I'm a bit stuck for inspiring things to put in the boxes! So far I've thought about having: Post office box, containing imitation stamps (where can I get these from?) Office box Author's box Journalist's box What sort of resources would you recommend putting in each box aside from the usual pens and notepads? Any ideas for alternative boxes would be gratefully received as well!
wellerkaren Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 we use 1p stamps in the post office when we have this out there are some stamps on this forum somewhere if you search ( I am sure I have seen then here) When we had a office box we also had a bob the builder office with bob paper, pencils, writing boards(clips boards with bob pictures tacky backed to it). we have lots of different writing materials in our area, felt tips of different sizes, clip boards always work well as the children can walk around with them.( we attach a pencil to them so they have something to write with) Party box, invites, thank you letters Brain is not really working to think of different types of books.
Posy Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 I have writing boxes in the nursery, the children know these can go wherever they want to use them.They have things like: home made notepads (different sorts of paper, graph, lined, plain) exercise books, diaries, ring binders clipboards with different paper, pens, pencils,mini pens, markers. We include things like selotape, parcel tape, string, treasurey tags hole punches, staplers.White boards, those funny little pads you get in crackers or pound shops like a magna doodle but made of paper and you lift the flappy bit to clear your marks -sorry can't think what they are called. We add tracing paper to boxes for children to draw plans for construction, tape measures, etc. Not every box containsall the things I've listed, they are easy to transport. Course the big problem is keeping them stocked up and 'ready to go' Hmm another half term job Posy
HappyMaz Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 If you do a search on stamps, someone uploaded some stamps they made, I think. Or you can buy a sheet of penny stamps from the Post office. How about mobile phones, microphone for the journalist, map books (street maps) for any sort of job where the person would need to find his or her way around, tape measures and small tools for builders, small pocket dictionary for the author. How about a dictaphone or MP3 player, digital camera (I'm thinking estate agent here, but I'm not sure why!). Will keep thinking... Maz
HappyMaz Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 For those members who might not have seen Steve's thread about developments surrounding the Sparklebox website, here's the link. Maz
Guest LornaW Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 You can get stamps on Google Images http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&am...d=2&start=0 Lorna
Guest Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 Oooh thanks, loads of good ideas as usual. Feeling really inspired now and wishing I had more than my shoestring budget that's having to come out of my own pocket. For some reason didn't think of google for stamp images, just had a look and found Star Wars designs and other good stuff, the boys will love them!
chocisgood Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 to inspire boys in my role play area, i bought spiderman, ben 10 wrapping paper etc. I then used small bits to wrap around tubs etc. You could do the same on your shoe boxes? onto the front of note pads/clipboards etc. Cbeebies good for postman pat stamps etc TES good for Ben 10 resources. Good luck
Rea Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 If cost is a hinderance I read someone on here who ask for donations of resources from parents. Make a list and see what happens. Envelopes, especially the freepost ones that come in junk mail, I would do anything for carbon paper when I was little and charcoal, pencils all the way through the B and H range. Spy pens that write invisibly, wax candles, calligraphy pens, big nibs dont rip the paper or break so easily, tape 2 pens/pencils together, melt some coloured wax crayons and blend together so they write with every colour. Take some forms from the post office, or from the junk mail, get some swipe cards from super markets. You do know I'm going to have to do all this as well now dont you?! Fun though
Guest Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 Oooh definitely having a spy box now you've reminded me of those invisible pens. I'm thinking magnifying glasses, notebooks, special police badges and I'm sure I'll think of some other things to go in there as well. Intrigued by the melted wax crayon thing. How do you do that? I can't imagine how you would get it back into a crayon shape once it was melted. Also when you say wax candles do you mean for writing with then you wash over them with paint to see what you wrote?
Rea Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 This should help with the wax crayon melting recycling wax crayons Yes, thats what I meant about the candles. Practice first though. I couldnt get the paint to the right consistancy one year and the wax got painted over.
nickylear Posted February 17, 2010 Posted February 17, 2010 (edited) Hi Sorry don't know how to do the quote thing...doh!! I've got a friend making me some bum bags/handbags for writing. Karina I think it was you that mentioned a Spy Box.....I have a group of girls in my reception class that are really into being spy’s, We've made newspapers with eye holes so the peek through them. I provide flip chart paper for this. A parent also send in fax rolls, the kids love using this for map-making because of the carbon print. I provide kitchen sponge & some paint & the children take the fingerprints of their friends just as a policeman would. If it gets too messy I put out oil & sugar paper I'm also going to try 'fingerprint lift off', The detective uses chalk dust & a paint brush to brush over a finger print on a surface, once they've lifted of the print they added it to a police record card & fill in details like, location, name, crime & suspect. A mix of bicarbonate of soda & water make invisible ink, the kids can make marks, when baked/heated the marks show up. Also tea painted paper & lemon juice make a nice alternative. I too made journalist brief cases, this turned into a big child initiated role play, the kids made a giant TV & remote control, (that they could sit in) we had news readers, using a laptop & shuffling & making notes on paper, we had a weather map that the kids marked, we had a runner that fetch the tea & coffee etc, he had a note book to take orders, hair & make up made lists. The kids then recorded their news broadcast on our camera. sorry I've gone on a bit, hope that this is off use. XXX Edited February 17, 2010 by nickylear
JacquieL Posted February 18, 2010 Posted February 18, 2010 Hi Sorry don't know how to do the quote thing...doh!! Scroll down to the bottom of the post you wish to quote and there are 4 boxes, delete, edit, quote, reply. Click on 'quote' and then on 'reply' . Then in the reply box you can delete what you don't need, being careful to leave the brackets with the word 'quote' inside at each end. Then you can type underneath as you would usually.
Cait Posted February 18, 2010 Posted February 18, 2010 I'm also going to try 'fingerprint lift off', The detective uses chalk dust & a paint brush to brush over a finger print on a surface, once they've lifted of the print they added it to a police record card & fill in details like, location, name, crime & suspect. We do this with chalk dust and some clear sticky back plastic, which is then stuck to black paper.
wellerkaren Posted February 18, 2010 Posted February 18, 2010 just got back fro tesco they have two A5 clipboards for a pound and they are also btgof
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