LOW-COST TEACHING AIDS

This Slide Show of examples is intended to inspire and stimulate ideas for the local production of low-cost teaching aids. If you have ideas and examples that you would like to add, please write to David Smawfield:

smawfield@hotmail.com

Examples of home made Primary mathematics teaching aids

A 1-meter circumference wheel for measuring distances, marked at 10-cm intervals

(home-made version)

A clinometer, for measuring the height of buildings, trees, etc

(A 45 degree clinometer is a simpler version)

Number and Letter Fans

For example, if a fan has nine blades, and each blade has one of the following letters: s, t, e, a, i, m, p, r, c Here are twenty spellings that could be tested:

cat tear steam praise

mat meat peas price

pat cast pair tease

rat seat pear mist

Signal Response cards: mathematics

Examples of the technique being used in classrooms

Example Literacy Dominoes

(incomplete set)
The secret of designing successful dominoes sets is to ensure that the righthand side of the last domino matches the lefthand side of the first domino!

What ideas could these inspire?

Maths Dominoes!
This example, available for purchase, is from: www.taskmasteronline.co.uk It shows Addition Dominoes However, dominoes can be designed for almost any level of mathematics and for almost any type of mathematical operation. This example should NOT be copied, for copyright reasons, but it may inspire creative ideas! What ideas do you have!?

Place value game!

This example, available for purchase, is from: http://netstore.teaching.com.au/ This example should NOT be copied, for copyright reasons, but it may inspire creative ideas! What ideas do you have!?

Compound Word Dominoes!

This example, available for purchase, is from www.taskmasteronline.co.uk I Could you design a set of compound word dominoes!? What is the key educational principle these dominoes build upon?

Maths Dice!
These examples are from www.taskmasteronline.co.uk For further ideas on Educational Games using Maths Dice. See:

www.davidsmawfield.com/resourcespractitioners

What ideas do you have!?

An example of a maths dice game

Roll three dice. Arrange to choose a score. Play, say, five rounds. Add scores. Highest total score could be the winner Variation: lowest total score could be the winner, etc. What ideas do you have!?

For more ideas, see: www.davidsmawfield.com/resources-practitioners/

A word-making game
This example, available for purchase, is from: www.taskmasteronline.co.uk The idea is to make three-letter words. Incomplete words on the base board comprise two blanks and a vowel. The game cards are consonants. This example should not be copied, for copyright reasons. However, what game and game rules could you devise based on these materials? What other ideas could this game inspire?

Word Game
The Board is made up of different nouns The playing cards are made up of different adjectives The idea is to match appropriate adjectives to different nouns What might be the rules for this game, and how could it be played?

(For example, it could involve Connect 4: There might be two sets of cards in different colours, for each player.)
What other variations can you think of?

Educational Snakes and Ladders

This can be used for any subject, at any level. Make an appropriate pack of question cards. Question cards are placed in a pile face down. Move by throwing a dice. Land on a snake: Answer a question. Wrong answer = slide down the snake. Correct answer = stay put! Land on a ladder : Answer a question. Wrong answer = stay put! Correct answer = climb the ladder!

Home-made wooden toys for creative play

Musical Instrument Making

Full instructions for making chime bars can be found at: www.davidsmawfield.com/resources-practitioners/

Plastic Bottle Pan-Pipes

Pizza Box Story Board

Flannelboard

Arguably one of the best teachings aids ever but one that largely seems forgotten about! This is all the more unfortunate as images from magazines and the Internet are more available than ever!

Flannelboard

A small square of course glass-paper or Velcro (the spikey side) is glued on the back of images to create the magnetic effect. Use a background cloth with a strong, dark, colour. The cloth should have a woolly texture to help the images to stick.

Pop-up Picture Books

An excellent resource book, illustrating different techniques, and with teaching ideas, can be downloaded for free at: www.primarydandt.org/data//files/story_col-1833.pdf

Puppets

An excellent resource book, illustrating different techniques, and with teaching ideas, can be downloaded for free at: www.primarydandt.org/data//files/puppet_col-1846.pdf

Mathematical and other models with Pipe cleaners and straws

Whole School Grounds

The above illustrations are taken from WERNER, David (1996 edition) Disabled Village Children: a guide for community health workers, rehabilitation workers, and families (Palo Alto, Hesperian Foundation) What ideas can they inspire?

Low-cost ping pong table

Skipping Ropes: often popular with girls!

(Examples from China: The Gansu Basic Education Project)

Playground Markings

Playground Markings

Low-Cost Weather Station

A Noise Meter
For managing noise levels in the classroom and for promoting effective group and pair work

For further information:

http://www.davidsmawfield.com/resources-practitioners/