Brain Awareness Week (BAW) Teaching Resources

Every March, Brain Awareness Week (BAW) unites the efforts of partner organizations worldwide in a celebration of the brain for people of all ages. Events are limited only by the organizers’ imaginations and include open days at neuroscience labs; exhibitions about the brain; lectures on brain-related topics; displays at libraries and community centers; classroom workshops; and more.

Here at Pencil Street we have the Human Brain and Thought set of teaching resources, in our science section with a range of worksheets for KS2 children (Aged 7+ years). Helping to bring this topic into the primary school classroom.

Pencil Street Teaching Resources

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Creating Early Positive Impressions

As an elementary school student, there is nothing more exciting than seeing yourself represented in the teaching materials, textbooks, or resources used in class. In a classroom where there are a variety of cultures and traditions, it can sometimes be a bit daunting to ensure that everyone feels welcome. It often requires outside research and time on the teacher’s part, and there is always the fear that someone might take offense if traditions or holidays are accidentally addressed inappropriately.

Luckily, there are actually a number of good online sources for Diwali teaching resources and Christmas teaching resources, that will have all of your students enjoying themselves. The best way to instill an appreciation of a variety of cultures and practices in any young person, is to present them in such a way that they are fun, exciting experiences. The early positive impression will go a long way towards informing how they view themselves, and those around them, as adults.

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Make the Holidays Come Alive

Making the everyday or the ordinary, interesting and extraordinary, is a large part of the job of a teacher. The teachers we remember the most, are the ones who made looking at a butterfly an amazing experience, or the instructors who showed us how applicable physics was to everyday life. A good teacher can take a concept and make it reality, in a way that makes a student want to experiment and learn more. During the holidays, teachers have an excellent opportunity to make an annual event into a great learning experience.

However, as an instructor, knowing that you have this opportunity is different than knowing quite what to do with it. This is why Diwali teaching resources, and Christmas teaching resources can be extremely helpful. They can jump start ideas for class activities and new ways of approaching the celebrations. Additionally, they can provide you with a bit more information about the meaning of each tradition. Armed with knowledge and great ideas, you can take your students on a beautiful holiday journey. With any luck, that journey will make you one of those teachers that they remember forever.

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Road Safety Week Teaching Resources (Free and Premium)

Road Safety Week is an established week in the UK calendar. It was set up by Brake in 1997 and organised by the charity annually ever since. It takes place in November each year and aims to give everyone an opportunity to promote road safety in their community, school or company.  

Here at Pencil Street we have a range of free and premium teaching resources to help promote road safety for all age groups from EY, KS1 to KS2.  

Here are a few general ideas and a few ideas linked to resources get you started:

• Talk about road safety in your assemblies.
• Hold a special road safety assembly or open event for parents.
• Make a road safety display in the school. Display resources for road safety available (Ref 71-109)
• Mention Road Safety Week / promote road safety in your newsletter to parents.
• Challenge the children to create a road safety poster/leaflet/banner/film/play.
• Have a special PSHE or citizenship lesson on road safety.Integrate road safety learning into curriculum lessons. Plenty of resources available!
• Have a special guest in to talk about road safety, for example, a police officer, or drama group.

Road deaths are the biggest ‘accidental’ cause of death of children and young people. All kids and young people use roads and have experienced road danger; so it's the perfect topic for a project that can really engage them as well as save their lives, while also meeting curriculum goals.

Teaching Remembrance Day

Young children are usually excited to participate in activities that involve celebrations or the holidays. But while your children may look forward to Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day activities, you do not have to wait until the major holidays to add variety in your classroom.

Remembrance Day is observed in November (around the 11th), and this day commemorates members of the armed forces who have died in battle. Many students are unfamiliar with this day, but teaching Remembrance Day increases their awareness. If you're discussing World War I, World War II or other historical battles in history books, you can incorporate activities related to Remembrance Day.

At Pencil Street, we have plenty of resources available for teaching Remembrance Day.  These include fact sheets, worksheets, as well as classroom displays. And since many children have a parent or other relative in the armed forces, activities related to Remembrance Day are timely and appropriate.

Pencil Street Educational Resources

Teaching resource of the day

The resource for today is 1007-185. This is a very popular arge wall display featuring pictures of children,  showing different emotions and keywords associated with those feelings. Teachers can decide which words to use dependant on the age range they are teaching.

Remembrance Day Teaching Resources

Many special days and events occur during the school year. But while most children are excited to celebrate popular holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, they might ignore special days with a historical background.Remembrance Day is observed the Sunday nearest Veteran's Day and it commemorates those who died in World War I and World War II. Teaching Remembrance Day may not be a required part of your curriculum, but you might incorporate this event to broaden the minds and hearts of your students.

Pencil Street offers several resources and tools for teaching Remembrance Day. You can download worksheets that include Remembrance Day facts, as well as information on the significance of war memorials. If you're teaching vocabulary, you can download vocabulary worksheets which include words associated with Remembrance Day.

Teaching Remembrance Day can provide your students with a better understanding on the two World Wars, and perhaps develop their interest in historical events.

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