Using video

Via tombarrett on Twitter: "Nine Interesting Ways* to use your Pocket Video Camera in the Classroom" http://is.gd/gXpf

Having just been shown a student video of (controlled!) explosions in A-level chemistry class. It was never as much fun when I was at school!

If you have a literacy related video do get in touch with Kids on the Net if you'd like us to publish it!

Videoed book reviews? Poetry readings? How-to videos?

New collaborative project - Wings

At the Education Show on March 1st, Kids on the Net inaugurated a new project as part of our tenth birthday celebrations:

We invite teachers to join in. Please contact the editor at info AT kidsonthenet DOT com and we will arrange for you to have access to the input forms for a period of time appropriate to your class.

Check it out:

Wings

Writing prompts

A 15-year-old confessed recently that he loves writing but can't always think about what to write. He's not the only one. Even professional writers sometimes have difficulty finding inspiration.

There are various places on Kids on the Net which will provide inspiration at a variety of levels, whether you're 6 or 16. Here are some of our writing prompts:

Monster Motel: submissions are closed at the moment, but you can still be inspired to write a story about a monster... http://www.kidsonthenet.com/motel/

Dragonsville - will be opening to submissions again in September:
Complete "the Story Dragon" tale at http://www.kidsonthenet.com/dragonsville/scroll.htm
Write instructions for young dragons - how to fly, or how to breathe fire - or report on a young dragon's training http://www.kidsonthenet.com/dragonsville/research.htm

Kids' Castle: write a diary entry from the castle, a newspaper report, or a poem about the tournament. http://www.kidsonthenet.com/castle/

Write your own Adventure Island! Very challenging for an individual, but a great project for older writers http://www.kidsonthenet.com/adventureisland/index.htm

Here are some tips on Getting Started, from children's author, Philip Ardagh, http://www.kidsonthenet.com/create/howtostory.htm

Some more prompts to get you going from children's authors here: http://www.kidsonthenet.com/big3/storygame.htm
Can you write a spooky story? http://www.kidsonthenet.com/big3/dollshouse.htm

And more advice to young writers - exclusive to Kids on the Net - from dozens of children's authors including some very famous names... http://www.kidsonthenet.com/authors/advice.htm

Watch this space!

Kids on the Net and the eTeachers' Portal have some great plans for the autumn term.

We will be reopening Dragonsville and initiating some new projects to celebrate our TENTH birthday - quite amazingly old for an internet venture :)

Watch this space for more information.

New writing on Kids on the Net

All writing submitted to Kids on the Net up to 5 pm BST, 20th June 2007, has been published.

More added to poems, stories, creative nonfiction, All About Me, book reviews, opinions, writing about friends and animals, haiku and kennings

If your writing hasn't appeared then it's probably because it wasn't edited well enough. Please, writers, check, redraft and edit your work before you submit it, as our editors rarely have time to correct every spelling mistake, add a story's worth of capital letters, and so on.

Teachers' TV programme

Teachers' TV is showing the "Just Write" programme about alternative endings which features the Kids' Castle website.

Friday 3rd Feb - 9.45am Teachers' TV

Teachers' TV is available on Sky Guide 592, Telewest channel 240, ntl channel 803, FREEVIEW channel 88, HomeChoice channel 845 and KIT channel 70

Teachers' TV website