I am once again joining with Mummy from the Heart’s link up sharing my reasons to be cheerful.  I love having this little review each week though I cannot believe that yet another week has passed!  We say in our house that it always seems to be bath time and now equally it always seems to be the time of the week when I am sharing my reasons to be cheerful.  Time flies when you have twinnies on your hands!

And so to this week’s reasons – again I had many to chose from and I know how lucky that I am to be able to say that.  Even through the red mist of sleep deprivation I do know how lucky I am.

Esther and William love baby rice!

This week we started weaning as Esther and William are very nearly 6 months old and William, in particular, seems to be very hungry!  We started on Sunday with their 11 o’clock ish feed.  They did not have very much but they had fun trying to eat it.  William has had baby rice every day since but we have had to stop with Esther as she is having some toilet trouble!! I am going to just use baby rice for another week and then start to experiment with fruit and veg purees for a week or so and then start to follow the Gina Ford weaning book as I like to have a structure to follow.  I am quite excited about it all really and it is definitely a reason to be cheerful.

William and Esther are becoming aware of one another

This week I have been sitting them opposite each other and they have been smiling at each other in a very flirtatious kind of way.  William cries when Esther is upset and looks very thoughtfully at her whenever he is near.  He is also starting to get jealous I think when he feels that she is getting too much attention!  I love that they are becoming so aware but sensing that there may be problems ahead if one feels they are getting less attention than the other.  I do so hope that as well as brother and sister they are going to become life long friends.

My ever thoughtful family and friends

Firstly Francoise has made me cheerful with her very thoughtful gifts of clothing sent from France.  A dress for Esther with little stars as we call her Little Star and a cardigan for William in the style of one I bought for his Daddy at Christmas.  Thank you Francoise for making me smile x

Had a lovely time and a good, LOUD, laugh with my cousin, Lyndsey, today.  Was great to spend some quality time with her and introduce her to Esther and William finally.  Hope to see a lot more of her as the weather improves and cold and flu season begins to fade x

Michele always makes me smile and keeps me sane, she is always a reason to be cheerful and this week she put up with me at my most tired and grumpy, and she is still coming to play again tomorrow. Thank you x

I also want to say that my Facebook / Bliss Ladies are a reason to be cheerful.  They support me all the time in making decisions about the twins.  They advise, and sympathise and are just there as a support network which I appreciate with all my heart.  This week they have been particularly helpful with diagnosing and treating Esther’s constipation.  And no, as we enter Day 12 she has still not been!

And finally, David.  After a week away I am so glad to have him home, and though I hate that he works so hard I know that he does it for us.  I love him so much and I could not do this without him.  I could not and would not be without him so thank goodness that, mostly(!), he makes me cheerful.

These are my reasons to be cheerful this week, what are yours?

As I want to write posts that are relevant to the parenting community I thought that I would get some inspiration from BloggyMoms.com and participate in their Blog Dare challenge.  We are already a good way through January and so I am going to pick and choose from the January prompts and then join The Blog Dare completely in February.  I am really looking forward to joining the challenge and have been inspired by some of the very powerful posts that I have been reading from other Mummies.  I hope that my writing might inspire someone one day too.

The first prompt that I am going to follow is What is Your Resolution for 2011.  For this I refer you to an old post that I published at the beginning of the year, my January TO DO list which is my compromise on resolutions, setting achieveable targets over a realistic time frame.

So what were those targets and how am I getting on?

Encourage William to take a bottle

This is something that I am definitely working on but with a lot of resistance from William.  He woul much rather go to the breast and is not at all impressed or cooperative when Daddy, or Mummy for that matter, tries to giv him a bottle.  His sister on the other hand will guzzle her milk down in any shape or form but for William, clearly breast is best.  This is making achieving target number 2 something of a struggle!

Make Time for Me

Obviously I have time to blog which is time I cherish when the babies are sleeping, I have also enjoyed a couple of very, long hot showers recently and a couple of short lie ins, but anything more than this just is not possible until William will take a bottle or is weaned!  My plans for a soa day are firmly on hold for a while!

Read a book and not Twilight AGAIN!!

I am reading a lot but mostly dipping in and out of baby books and blogs.  I have Room by Emma Donoghue to read which I am really looking forward to and a whole other pile of must reads sat gathering dust.  A bath with a book sounds like a good idea.  I might try that this weekend!

Spring Clean and Sort Baby Things

I have started to do this.  I washed the kitchen floor last week and seem to be constantly washing and sorting clothes.  David has agreed that we can get a cleaner which will make this target much more achieveable!  We may also get a dishwasher and a tumble dryer which will make more time for other chores.  Seems such an extravagance but is more of a necessity with the twins!

Get dressed everyday and Go outside everyday

I would say that I do this most days, weather permitting.  The current burst of sunshine is making me more keen to get up and go!

Start and Sustain Healthy Plan

This is most definitely underway with strict portion control and cereal bars as substitutes for chocolate.  Have started to lose a little bit of baby weight so I must be doing something right.

Still a way to go with these resolutions but I am doing my best to stick to them as I know that they will lead to a more positive year for us all.

Check out The Blog Dare posts to see other people’s resolutions and whether or not they are sticking to them.

Today I have been searching through my old teaching files and found these poems written by children in Year 2.  They will be in Year 6 now!  The poems are based, quite obviously, on Spike Milligan’s On the Ning Nang Nong.  I remember this being a wonderful, fun lesson and if I can find the planning that went with it then I will post that too.  In the meantime please enjoy the poems.

On the Zig Zag Zog by Daniel and Luke

On the zig zag zog

Where the owls go wog!

And the dolphins all say shoo!

There’s a zag zog zig

Where the rats go big!

And gorillas liver laver loo!

On the zog zig zag

All the mice go clag!

And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do.

So it’s zig zag zog

Owls go wog!

Zag zog zig

Rats go big!

Zog zig zag

Mice go clag!

What a noisy place to have a sob!

Is the zig zag zig zag zog!

On the Bip Bap Bop by Darby and Francesca

On the bip bap bop

Where the chicks go clop!

And the piglets all go wooo!

There’s a bip bap bop

Where the rabbits go plop!

And the dogs go rapper rapper roop!

On the bip bap bop

All the horses say hop

And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do!

So, it’s bip bap bop

The chicks go clop!

Bip bap bop

Rabbits go plop!

Bip bap bop

Horses say hop!

What a noisy place to have a chop

Is the bip bap bip bap bop! 

On the Zim Zam Zoom by Alex, Harry and Sam 

On the zim zam zoom

Where the ants go boom!

And the horses all say soom!

On the zoom zam zim

Where the ducks go kim!

And the teatocks tibber tagger choo!

On the zoom zim zam

All the pigs shout Ham!

And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do!

So it’s zim zam zoom

The ants go boom!

Zoom zam zim

Ducks go kim!

Zoom zim zam

Pigs shout ham!

What a noisy place to have a room!

Is the zim zam zim zam zoom!

On the Clip Clap Clop by Grace and Abbie

On the clip clap clop

Where the horse goes pop!

And the cows just moo moo moo!

There’s a clop clip clap

Where the rats all flap!

And the pigs go clipper clapper cloo!

On the clap clop clip

All the fleas shout flip!

And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do.

So, it’s clip clap clop

The horse goes pop!

Clop clip clap

The rats all flap!

Clap clop clip

The fleas shout flip!

What a noisy place to stop and flop

Is the clip clap clip clap clop! 

On the Nish Nash Nosh by Jenny and Isla

On the nish nash nosh

Where the dogs are posh!

And the rabbits all say noo!

There’s a nosh nash nish

Where the pigs go flish!

And the hamsters nigger nagger noo!

On the nish nosh nash

All the cats go lash!

And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do!

So, it’s nash nish nosh!

The dogs are posh!

Nosh nash nish

The pigs go flish!

Nish nosh nash

The cats go lash!

What a noisy place to have a wash!

Is the nish nash nish nash nosh!

Zu3D is a new stop-motion animation program made specifically for schools.

It has been developed through primary school ICT Clubs and with the expert

knowledge of a professional animator who has worked with Aardman.

This software is visually stimulating and engaging for children of all ages. It

is easy to use and enables children to work independently on their very own

stop-motion animation.

It provides a tool for learning across all primary subjects and is an excellent

resource for our developing creative curriculum.

In the recent review of the primary curriculum learning through the arts

was highlighted as a priority.

“Through the arts, children will also develop original ideas, explore issues

and solve problems. Children will take part in different activities – from

singing and composing their own music to photography and animation.”

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/primarycurriculumreview/downloads/83306-COIDCSF-

CurriculumReview(Summary).pdf

Animation is a multi-faceted form of art. You have to create a story, create

characters, make them from clay or plasticine, design and make sets,

compose soundtracks or select appropriate recorded music to enhance a

film. Animation means children have to solve problems, make decisions and

judgements, evaluate and improve their projects and review and reflect on

their learning. Zu3D is a powerful tool that demands all of these things

from our pupils as they have fun with their friends making a film, often not

realising that they are in fact working hard, learning new skills, applying new

theories and sharing fresh ideas.

“Design, dance, drawing, photography, drama, animation and music are all

possible areas for teachers to explore, and they can all cut across to other

subjects in exciting ways.”

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/primarycurriculumreview/downloads/83306-COIDCSF-

CurriculumReview(Summary).pdf

Here are some ideas for how you might use Zu3D in the classroom to do just

that.

Literacy

Planning stories

Developing understanding of narrative structure

Animated stories

Story telling

Animated poems

Develop speaking and listening skills

Hotseat / Interview an animated character

Create an animated Wanted Poster

Animated instructions or explanations

Animate onomatopoeic words

Create an animated alphabet

Demonstrate what a sentence is through animated words and punctuation

Animate a blurb for a book – persuasive writing

Create a film trailer – persuasive writing

Making adverts – persuasive writing

Illustrating spelling rules

Create moving characters that can be used as a stimulus for a poem or play

Numeracy

Demonstrate fractions

Bonds to 10 / 20

Animated times tables rap

Explain division

Doubling and halving

Looking at 2D and 3D shapes

Science

Animate a life cycle

Animation of earth, moon and sun

Animate what happens in an electric circuit

Illustrate vibrations producing sound

Explain states of matter

PSHE

Crossing the road safely

Bullying scenario films

Fire safety advert

Electrical safety

Illustrate dangers of drugs and alcohol

How to care for your pet – animated instructions

Develop team work and cooperation

RE

Animate a Bible story or prayer

Animate a hymn

Animate a story from a festival

Show how a Muslim prays through an animated character

Geography

Illustrate the water cycle

Make an animated weather map

Show a route on a map

History

Recreate past events – moon landing

Interview famous people from the past

Illustrate characters and situations – Victorian children

Show contrasts – rich and poor in Victorian times

DT/Art

Experiment with different ways of creating the set for your animations

Make props for your set

PE

Illustrate the rules of a game

Make an advert about playing fair

How to jump and land safely

How to kick a ball

How to hold a tennis racket / cricket ball

Music

Record a composition to accompany your animation

Add sound effects

Choose appropriate music from a collection to enhance your film

The Primary National Strategy invites us to “Create a visual adaptation of a

simple text using toys, modelling clay, play figures and stop-frame animation

techniques” but we know that so much more can be achieved and explored

through animation, as well as developing the skills of filmmaking in their own

right.

Why not download Zu3D today and see what you can do?

www.zu3d.com

Win a copy of Zu3D

Zu3D can be used throughout the Early Years Curriculum to enhance teaching and learning and to support learning through play.  Though ICT is mentioned only once in the Early Learning Goals, within Knowledge and Understanding of the World, Zu3D believes that ICT and animation in particular can be used effectively across all six areas of learning and development to engage children in learning, motivate teachers to explore new ideas and enhance the Foundation Stage curriculum for all.  Zu3D also helps to develop the skills and knowledge that children will need as they move into the National Curriculum. 

ICT is important in our lives today and runs through everything that we do, this should be reflected in our curriculum to ensure that children are familiar with technologies and the impact that they have on their lives.  ICT provides invaluable tools and opportunities for teaching and learning for people of all ages, but we must start exploring these with the very youngest in the Early Years.

Zu3D is a new stop-motion animation software package designed to meet the needs of teachers and children in our schools today.  An intuitive, easy to use interface enables children to create high quality films easily and independently.  This software provides a creative outlet for demonstrating knowledge and understanding across all areas of the curriculum.  Zu3D has many clever features that make animation achievable for all.  

One of the great things about Zu3D is that it gives children the ability to make a complete film within one program.  In Zu3D you can easily create an animated film with titles, credits, subtitles, narration, sound effects and music.  Within one resource you can create all these elements that before have had to be created in separate pieces of software and then collated in yet another.  This makes a complicated process simple enough for young children without sacrificing any of the quality of a professional film.  During the last twelve months we have seen children as young as 5 make a complete film in Zu3D within an hour of being introduced to the program. They have been buzzing because they have found something that they can do well, independently and without fuss.  This software enables children to achieve results they are proud of without having to rely on others.

In the Early Years Zu3D can be used as a tool to support children’s developing communication, language and literacy.  Stop Motion Animation can involve painting pictures, making models, creating props and evaluating sounds.  It encourages children to work together in a team to create an end product that they can share.  All of these aspects of this process encourage children to talk, to communicate, to use language and develop their literacy skills in a fun and practical way.  In a 21^st century way.

Zu3D makes animation easy for younger children.  Its intuitive interface has been designed specifically for children and so enables children to make high quality films without the need to read or understand complicated instructions.  Once an adult has help them to set up their equipment, modelled the process then they are ready to click and go. Children can spend time playing with the software and experimenting with what it can do before being set a particular challenge to work on or target to achieve.

With careful planning and adult support we have seen some wonderful films created by children in Reception and Year 1 that have resulted in excellence and enjoyment.  Click below to see three particularly strong examples.

http://www.zu3d.com/gallery/elmer by Year R and Y1

http://www.zu3d.com/gallery/the-three-little-pigs by Y1 and Y2

http://www.zu3d.com/gallery/owl-pussy-cat by YR

Animation is a fantastic tool.  Children are familiar with the concept from television and film.  Making movies of their own is a magical process that can capture their imaginations and make learning fun.  It is a digital form of role play, a technological way to tell a story or recount an experience.  It enables children to share communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings in a new and creative way. 

Animation should take its rightful place at the heart of early years education where it can play a large role in supporting children’s learning through technology and play.

Creative Development

Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a widening range of materials – including animation

Match movement in animation to music

Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two or three dimensions – creating models, props, scenery for use in animated films

Use their imagination in art and design, music, dance, imaginative and role-play and stories – all of these aspects can be used in the planning and creating of an animated film

Communication, Language and Literacy

Animate a nursery rhyme, song or part of a story

Animate the letters in their name whilst saying the sounds out loud

Explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts

Retell narratives in the correct sequence, drawing on language patterns of stories

Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking and ideas

Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences

Listen with enjoyment and respond to stories, songs and other music, rhymes and poems and make up their own stories, songs, rhymes and poems

Speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control and show awareness of the listener

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Create an animation to show how an animal moves

Make an animation to show understanding of different forms of transport

Make an animation showing a simple life cycle

Make a weather symbol animation to a weather song or rhyme

Find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology and use information communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly

Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar group

Make an animation to show good manners, sharing or other social story

Use animation to explore different points of view

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Say and use number names in order in familiar contexts

Animate number songs

Make counting animations

Use language such as ‘greater’, ‘smaller’, ‘heavier’ or ‘lighter’ to compare quantities

Physical Development

Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control

For your chance to win a copy of this software just click here