Category Archives: Websites

Mouse and keyboard skills

Our S1 pupils are familiar with the laptops and tablets they use at primary school, all of which have trackpads or touchscreens. But the computers here at OLHS  all use mice, so our new arrivals need to lean to use the mouse pretty quickly. Over time, they’ll also improve their typing and will gain skills in a variety of computer software.

To help with the typing and mouse skills, we’ve put together a collection of games and activities that require improved accuracy in moving the mouse, drawing lines, and pointing and clicking.

The list has already been enthusiastically adopted by pupils in ICT and during lunchtimes in the Library and is helping pupils adapt to the technology.

Miniature books

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is one of the best writers around and he has released lots of free material on his websites for young people and adults.

Parents, please be aware that Neil Gaiman often writes creepy material which may be scary for some children. Others will love it 🙂

Mouse Circus is his site for young people, and currently includes full reads of the fabulous books, The Graveyard Book and Coraline.

There are also four short stories printed in full for reading and a whole load of activities and downloads based on Neil’s writing.

http://www.mousecircus.com/

Grown ups aren’t forgotten either, and there are all sorts of interesting things on the adult part of the website, with free short stories, video clips,   audio and other excerpts from his books.

https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff

FreeRice

FreeRice is a multiple choice quiz game created for the United Nations World Food Programme. Every correct answer pays for real rice to be donated to real people in need around the world.

You can choose to set up an account (free) if you want to keep track of your score, or you can play without logging in. You can download it as an app or play via the website.

There are  various categories including:

  • English grammar
  • English vocabulary
  • World geography
  • World landmarks
  • Country outlines
  • World capitals
  • Flags of the world
  • Famous quotations
  • Famous paintings
  • Literature
  • Maths
  • Languages: French, Spanish, Czech, German, Italian and Latin
  • Anatomy
  • Chemical symbols

Questions get harder as your score rises.

https://freerice.com/

Hogwarts Digital Escape Room

Try this Harry Potter themed digital escape room from Peters Township Public Library, Pennsylvania. You can play or your phone, computer or laptop. No downloads required.

It is your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and you could not be more excited. You were just sorted into your dream house and you had dinner with your new classmates. It is time to head back to the common room and get to know your roommates.

As you head into the cozy room, the house prefect announces that you have a fun team building activity to complete before you get too settled into your new digs. The house prefect tells you about a new muggle trend where they lock themselves in rooms and have to answer puzzles to get out – no magic at all!

Next thing you know, the room is completely dark and you hear a door slam.

Peters Township Public Library

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflNxNM0jzbZJjUqOcXkwhGTfii4CM_CA3kCxImbY8c3AABEA/viewform