That Quiz

I investigated a resource named That Quiz which was recommended by a Twitter user yesterday. At first sight it is a grey, boring looking, run-of-the-mill website but upon investigation I found out that it is far more than that. It may not be pretty but it is extremely effective at what it is trying to achieve and I will definitely be using it on an on-going basis in future.

The website is basically a one-stop assessment shop. Teachers can register their name and the names of the students in their class very simply, which I did yesterday in around 5-10 minutes. There are then a host of pre-designed tests which a teacher can create by selecting a few basic parameters (e.g. number of questions, level of difficulty, etc). While the interface is very uninspiring, by being grey, it is very easy to use. It took me only a couple of minutes to set a fractions test which comprised of 20 questions testing the children on addition and subtraction of proper fractions. Once the test has been set the teacher is given a code. Students then use this code to login, select their name from a list and complete the test. The tests could be completed 1 by 1 on a PC at the back of the room or all together using a group of PCs. When students complete the test they are given their result and it is saved for the teacher to login in and view later.

I have only started using the site and it is definitely a runner for testing Maths. There are also some English, Science and Geography tests which I have yet to check out. Another idea I have for using this site is to set up some sample tests and give the children the code in their homework notebook to practice at home. It will definitely reduce correcting time.

 

Countdown Game

The Countdown Game website, based on the Countdown TV show, is a resource that children in my class love. The 3 games that are played on the show can now be played on an Interactive Whiteboard. I tend to use these as starters to a maths or literacy lesson . In the ‘Letters Game’ children  select from vowels and consonants, with the aim being to create the longest word in 30 seconds. In the ‘Numbers Game’ children select their large and small numbers and try to reach a given target using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division within 30 seconds. The ‘Conundrum Game’ asks you to find a 9 letter word from a jumble of letters but I have found that even 6th class find this one too difficult. You can find any potential Carol Vordemans in your class. My favourite part of the website is the fantastic Countdown music.

A useful tip when using any website on an Interactive Whiteboard is to put the page to fullscreen. This can be done by pressing the F11 key or by selecting View->Fullscreen on your browser.