How to get kids engaged with school notice boards
- 3 Feb 2020
How to get kids engaged with school notice boards
The classroom is meant to be a place for learning, concentration, and academic pursuits. But there is no reason why it can’t also be fun!
Teachers know that every classroom has its own look and feel. The teacher’s personal taste, the subject matter being taught, and the age of the students – all of these things affect the decorations and materials hung on the walls. However, one thing remains a classic constant in any classroom – the school notice board.
Often hung up by the door to the classroom, or in another high traffic area, a classroom’s notice board is a place where students can get involved and participate. When placed in the school’s common areas, a notice board becomes a useful and convenient place for parents, teachers, and custodial staff to stay informed.
School notice boards come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, perfect for any area in your classroom or institute. There are many different options available, including felt (perfect for pinning artworks), aluminum framed, and fire resistant models.
Don’t have a free wall on which to hang your classroom notice board? No problem – choose a mobile notice board that can be wheeled from room to room on locking castors. You can adjust the height, and use Velcro and pins, and move it around when you need.
Using School Notice Boards as an Information Hub
Many schools at all levels hang a notice board by the main office, front doors, or even a lockable notice board in the parking lot or playground area. The notice boards become valuable information hubs, keeping parents, carers, students, and teachers up to date with what they need to know.
Use a school notice board to post about:
- Upcoming school trips.
- Concerts and fetes.
- Student birthdays and parties.
- Sign up sheets for parent and carer volunteers.
- Security and safety concerns.
- Rules and regulations about the school.
- Mission statements, school mottos, and slogans.
- Fun cartoons, comics, and jokes to delight kids and adults alike.
- Alterations to typical schedule.
- Information about programmes available during half-term.
- Extra-curricular sports, art, and music programmes.
Using School Notice Boards as a Classroom Learning Resource
When you think of a school notice board, you might picture it hanging by the front office or the main entrance. However, most of the school notice boards that we sell are used right in the classroom. Notice boards make brilliant classroom learning resources. They really brighten up the space and make the whole room feel more cheerful and exciting.
Depending on where you hang your school notice board, it can also become a vital and exciting place to display learning materials. Some primary school teachers like to use a notice board to highlight different aspects of the entire curriculum. For secondary teachers who focus on one subject matter, a notice board can drill down into one concept.
Unveil new topics
Students are excited when a new subject is introduced. The buzz of possibility and intrigue is in the air! Dedicate one notice board in the classroom to the current topic of study. Before you introduce a new topic or focus of study in the classroom, spend some time decorating a classroom notice board with pictures, artwork, and quotes from the upcoming lesson topics.
Add new developments to current events stories
Certain classes and topics can really benefit from following current events, such as History, Politics, Science, and Psychology. Ask students to clip or print news stories about different current events and bring them into the classroom. You can display them on your classroom notice board to keep everyone abreast of new developments to your curriculum topics. What a great way to demonstrate that knowledge is always growing and changing.
Display examples of upcoming assignments
When you assign a new project, it is a really smart idea to present your students with some examples of what you have in mind. Use your classroom notice board to display examples of work that will earn them top marks. You can display an example that you have created, but it is even more effective to show off past students’ work.
Show off great work from students in your class
This suggestion might work best in an art class, or in primary school classrooms. Young kids love to have their artworks shown off to the rest of the class, so make sure you rotate the art and writing displayed on your classroom notice board. Be mindful to keep track of who has been displayed, and for how long – you don’t want anyone to feel left out!
Decorate for the holidays!
As school notice boards are available in a variety of sizes and festive colours, they can also act a fun place to decorate for the holidays. An orange background is perfectly suited to Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night, while red or green looks great at Christmas. You can make any colour notice board look perfectly festive by adding decorations!
10 Creative Ideas for using your classroom notice board
Here are 10 fun and creative ideas that will transform your school notice board into a fun and useful learning tool.
- 1. Post a quote of the week –
Choose a classic quote from history, poetry, or even a pop music lyric that suits the curriculum or current events of the week! - 2. Is it poetry, or pop lyrics?
Speaking of quotes, show your students that the poetry of the past has a lot in common with the pop music of today! Post lyrics and ask them to vote on whether they are pop lyrics of poetry quotes. This one really works! - 3. Create an interactive craft station –
Pin colouring posters, fun activity sheets, and DIY craft kits to your notice board, and allow students to choose what they want to do during free time, or when they complete their work. - 4. Designate a ‘burning questions car park’ –
Sometimes students have what they feel like are ‘burning questions,’ but it just isn’t the time or place for them to ask. Give your chattiest students a place to voice their questions, and address them all, once a week. - 5. Give them space to compare and contrast –
At the top of the board, list 2 different concepts, people, or places that you want your students to compare and contrast. You’ll see some surprising answers, and an interesting Venn diagram will emerge. - 6. Use QR codes to bring phones into the classroom –
You are probably used to trying to keep your students’ phones out of the classroom! But at the end of the day or during recess, why not challenge them to keep their learning going by tempting them with QR codes. QR codes can make even the most mundane concepts seem fun and fresh, and link your students to interactive learning materials. - 7. Use your notice board for a giant word search game -
Word searches can be a fun and interactive way for your students to practice their spelling and vocabulary. Change up the word searches to match your changing vocabulary throughout the year. - 8. Create a gratitude board –
Set up a ‘gratitude board’ on your classroom notice board, and allow students to pin up words and photos that represent things that they are thankful for in their lives. You can select a card or 2 each day to share these thoughts with the class. - 9. Create a ‘read-aloud’ board –
While you are reading a book as a class, post about the characters, settings, problems, and potential solutions as you go. You can also have the kids write down their favourite parts of the story, and use the board as catalyst for class discussions. - 10. Post a map of the world, and pin relevant locations –
Every time you encounter a new geographic region in a lesson, history book, work of fiction, or other lesson, add a pin to your classroom map. Soon you will have a whole world to talk about and explore!
Read more: Using Notice Boards In Schools
Do you need help choosing your school notice board?
When you factor in all of the choices around colour, size, mobility, and material, there are literally hundreds of school notice board choices out there. Are you overwhelmed or confused? No need to worry.
Our Red17 team is comprised of experts who know our notice board range inside and out. Get in touch today with any questions, and we will help you choose the ideal notice boards for your classroom and school common areas.
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