It's coming up to that fun time of year again, when it's time to decide on which Advent Calendar to choose to use in the classroom. Northumberland still have a selection of four to chose from, although they have not added a new one in recent years. Woodlands however, appear to have updated theirs, and as usual offer an interesting calendar that is only available from December 1st, so no chance for a sneak preview! Nrich have some great advent calendars with maths related activities, suduko's and problem solving activities behind each door, and their selection caters for a range of ability levels. If you use Smartboard, then try this download which, for me opened as a blank template to which I can add my own pictures or activities, although I think it was meant to open as a ready made calendar! Oh well, still a useful template!

If you prefer a calendar to download on powerpoint, then try the one from Communication4all, which teaches the children something about how Christmas is celebrated in a different country behind each door. Fresherschools also have a downloadable powerpoint calendar which is available in 25 or 31 day versions, which looks very colourful. They also offer a version to which children can add their own clipart and pictures which would make a great ICT activity for KS2 children.

KS1 children can try out all the ICT activities behind the doors of the Kent Advent Calendar, either on the interactive whiteboard, or the classroom PC, or try this one from HelpKidzLearn which is similar. Sparklebox have a printable calendar to download and make, but children would probably find it far more interesting to design and make their own, than just glue together a printable - not much scope for learning there, but the Sparklebox one may be useful as a template or to give the initial idea of how a calendar is made. Activity village also have some good craft ideas on their downloadable calendars.

Enjoy advent!

Fireworks will be lighting our skies to celebrate the traditional Hindu festival of light.

You can have your own virtual fireworks display on your interactive whiteboard, courtesy of Woodlands Junior School. Activity village has a range of craft ideas, colouring pages, printables and puzzles. You can download colour topic vocabulary with pictures from Sparklebox, or their colour word mat. The story of Rama and Sita is available from Ngfl for interactive whiteboard, with other accompanying whiteboard activities, including a pairs game and think and discuss ideas. Black and white outline colouring images can be downloaded here and Kent Ed has an online mehindi painting activity available for younger children. Enjoy Divali in your classroom!

October is the official month in the UK when we celebrate and learn about the achievements of the black community, and learn more about black history. The official Black History month website stays updated all year round and has information on special events happening around the UK.

Plan Ed has some fantastic resources to support teachers in teaching children about slavery and freedom, with lesson plans and supporting photos and worksheets for KS1, KS2 and KS3, or all ages from 5 - 16. The Understanding Slavery website has teaching ideas, approaches and a wide range of free downloadable resources including powerpoints, interactive whiteboard resources, plans, sound files, photos, videos and more. Another different free powerpoint template with activity ideas is downloadable here.

Instant Display have a great free display pack of 10 posters that can be downloaded for classroom or whole school display, just scroll down to locate them. You can viisit Youtube to download or view the famous 3 minute speech 'I have a dream' made by Martin Luther King or find a colourful powerpoint presentation for KS1 or KS2 about this famous person at Communication4all.

Last, but by no means least, the BBC has a great range of resources and information, including an interactive timeline, advice on researching your own African or Caribbean family history, and loads of detailed, but easy to read information on famous black people in history and the slave trade.

The Easter holidays will soon be here and if you are looking for resources for the classroom then there are lots available online to support teaching this topic, or some that are just great fun!

A selection of versions of the Easter story suitable for the interactive whiteboard are available, on powerpoint, with children's illustrations and sound, for older children or KS2,  or with supporting games and activities.

There are topic word cards available as well as a colour printable display telling the full Easter story. Get the children communicating and writing with an Ecard or this selection of Easter bordered papers to print.

Or let the children lose on the PC or whiteboard to decorate an egg online or play a game to save the chicken from the fox, by collecting enough eggs!

Personally I prefer all things chocolate at this time of year!

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated this year on Tuesday 24th February. The day to clear out all those ingredients from the cupboard before the start of Lent, by making pancakes.

There are loads of resources available on the web today to help make teaching about Pancake day easier and more fun. Use this pancake tossing game on the PC for younger children, where they add the ingredients one at a time and then toss the pancakes they have made.

Teach all about Shrove Tuesday using these facts aimed at children, or have all your pancake day questions answered here, with details about how Pancake day is celebrated in some other countries around the world. When they think they know it all, they could try this online quiz.

Or find colouring pictures, a wordsearch and craft ideas, including pancake beanbags here. List ingredients and write a set of instructions for making pancakes using this writing frame aimed at KS1, or download some colour pancake recipe instruction cards.

Make your own real pancakes and, if you can sort all the health and safety issues raised by the PC brigade, have a pancake race! Above all, enjoy pancake day! What fillings will you let the children put in them?!!

Please Twitter this

Unicef day for change takes place on Friday 6th February. It is designed to be a fun and educational way to raise funds and educate children on issues of health and well being in other parts of the world. This year Unicef are focussing their efforts on children in Papua New Guinea. There is a free resource pack available to schools which contains photo resources, posters portraying health issues and a CD rom of teaching resources. Sign up to receive this pack and enable your children to raise funds for a worthwhile cause.

Children love learning about the different lives of children of a similar age to themselves who live in different parts of the world and the children of Papua New Guinea lead very different lives. They have little access to healthcare because they live in isolated and remote areas. Unicef helps to educate children about food hygiene and healthcare, improving the quality of life of these children.

Why don't you Twitter this?