Using Hamsterkiste learning pages in the classroom

Technology

The easiest way to use the learning pages with your class is to open the page you want on www.hamsterkiste.de in a laptop or tablet browser and display it using a projector or interactive whiteboard.

  1. Connecting devices: Connect the laptop or tablet using a suitable cable and, if necessary, an adapter. If the equipment supports it, you can also mirror the screen wirelessly.
  2. Open the page: Open the learning page before class if possible. Check the internet connection and make sure the page displays correctly.
  3. Adjusting the view: Enlarge the page so the text is easy to read even from the back row. Show only the image, text or activity currently being discussed.
  4. Working together: Look at the pictures, read the texts section by section, and discuss the tasks. The children write their answers in their notebooks or on a sheet of paper.

Children do not need their own devices. An ordinary whiteboard and a projector can be used as a projection screen; a digital whiteboard can display the screen directly.


Teaching Considerations

  • Start with a picture or a video. Ask the children to describe what they can see. Have them share their own observations or what they already know. Ask specific questions about the picture or video. Have the children write 2 to 3 sentences about it.


  • Collect questions: “What would we like to find out about this topic?” Group the questions by subject area. At the end of the unit, check which questions have been answered and which remain open.


  • The reading texts: Set aside a regular time for reading every day. Have the children read one text a day. They can read alone, in pairs, or with support. Explain any unfamiliar terms.


  • Extra activities: The pages in "If you want to learn more" are intended as extra activities. They are not part of the exercises that everyone is expected to complete, but are for children who have already finished the core activities or would like to explore the subject in more detail. If they wish, they can do their own research—in books, online or at the library—and then share what they have learned.


  • The colouring pages can be downloaded and decorated. They offer a different way to explore a topic than factual information.


  • Look at maps, collages or diagrams together.


  • Learning sentences: The Hamsterkiste materials also suggest learning sentences. These are available either for each individual text or as a separate learning card. Have the children look for relevant information in the reading texts to complete the sentences. Then they fill in the blanks and write out the complete sentences. If needed, provide a word bank or clues to the relevant passages. Aim to complete about three or four learning sentences per day. Go over the answers together.


  • A question game as an alternative to study sentences: Children come up with three to five questions about their reading texts on their own. They write down the answers and where they found them on a separate answer sheet. Then they exchange questions in pairs. They can refer back to the texts when answering. Have them check together that the questions and answers are clear and factually correct. You can put selected questions and answers on index cards to create a study card set.


  • Writing assignment ideas: In addition to the practice sentences, plan at least one manageable writing assignment each day, for example:
  • Nouns with articles and plural forms: The children choose 8 to 10 nouns from each of the reading passages and write them down with the definite and indefinite articles. Where possible, they also write the plural forms.
  • Replace nouns with pronouns: Give an example sentence. In a second sentence, replace the noun with a pronoun. Have students highlight the nouns and pronouns and add their own sentence pairs.
  • Finding difficult words: The children write down 8 to 10 difficult words or proper nouns from the reading passages. They break them into syllables and then write them down from memory or from dictation.
  • Changing tenses: The children write 3 to 5 short sentences and underline the verb. They then rewrite these sentences in a different tense (present, simple past, present perfect, future).
  • Free writing with a draft and a final copy: The children write a story on a topic of their own choosing or one you assign. First, they make a list of key words for the introduction, main section and conclusion. Then they write a draft. They exchange drafts and edit their writing. Finally, they produce a final copy with a suitable title. Adjust the length and support to suit their writing ability. For example, assign the tasks as follows: Monday—nouns, Tuesday—pronouns, Wednesday—tenses, Thursday—draft, and Friday—revision and final copy.