Monthly Archives: September 2015

Bertie Book – A story in 11 tweets!

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I’ve had a great week with Elmvale Nursery in Glasgow working together on a twitter story. What started as a comment on one of their twitter posts developed into a joint story …a tweet from me and a tweet from them. So did we manage to tell a story in 11 tweets using 140 characters each time? Well yes, not only that but we illustrated the whole thing with pictures and photographs. If you missed it here is the full story.

Jo Tweet #1

One day in the nursery the children heard someone crying.

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Elmvale Tweet #2

Jack said “It’s a baby in the house corner, because he is hungry”

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Jo Tweet #3

But it wasn’t a baby, it was a book! “I’m Bertie and I’m sad” he sobbed.

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Elmvale Tweet #4

Ava- “Because he’s ripped” Olivia- “Cause we don’t share, it was pulled”

Jo Tweet #5

“We’re sorry.” said the children.”We’ll make you better.” They had a plan.

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Elmvale Tweet #6

Anna Grace said “We can fix it with the sellotape and glue, then read the story.”

Jo Tweet #7

The children repaired Bertie and discovered he was a book of nursery rhymes.

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Elmvale Tweet #8

Leia said “We could read Humpty Dumpty from the book, put it on the shelf and read a new rhyme tomorrow.”

Jo Tweet #9

The children love Humpty Dumpty. “Twinkle Twinkle next please” said Leia.

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 Elmvale Tweet #10

Leona said “We can sing Twinkle Twinkle and read the words then do another song.

Jo Tweet #11

At the end of the day the children put Bertie back where he belonged.

The End

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I really enjoyed this project with the children, they were brilliant and did really well. Their teachers were super and I am grateful for their help making the story work. I love when youngsters make up their own stories and let their imaginations loose…they always have the best ideas. Well done to all the children in the nursery who took part, a great example of early years literacy and probably digital literacy too (not bad when you’re not 5 yet!).

December Nursery & Primary School Workshops

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Booking is now open for Jolly Holly Workshops for Scottish Nursery and Primary Schools.

New Cards & Badges

New cards and badges have been added to JoJo Gnome’s Etsy shop. It’s all about hearts and flowers.

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Bertie Book on Twitter

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I really enjoy using twitter. Short, informative and fun! I follow (and am followed by) quite a few Primary schools and nurseries which is fantastic. I love seeing and hearing about what’s going on inside and outside classrooms across Scotland (and the rest of the world!). At the end of last week I came across a post from Elmvale Nursery School.

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If you look down the don’t like side the kids mention “I don’t like broken books”. Well neither do I and I replied to them. We then had a conversation which has resulted in me writing a story along with the two nursery classes at the school. We do alternate tweets and also post pictures. I do drawings to illustrate my part of the story and the nursery class have been putting up fantastic photos to illustrate their side.

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The character we are using is Bertie Book (#jojobbook), who we have found out is unhappy and crying in the corner of the nursery. He is in a bad way because the children have mishandled him. However now the children have a plan to make him better using sticky tape & glue. While repairing him the children have found out he is in fact a book of nursery rhymes. Then…….

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I have to wait till later today when the children tweet back to find out what’s happening next and where the story is going. It’s so important younger children are read to and enjoy books (of all kinds). My particular passion is that children make up their own stories … young people are brilliantly creative and have the best ideas! I am loving this project and have never had to think so hard about 140 characters before. This is learning at it’s best, fun, creative and just a bit hard … and that’s for me not the kids.

Follow the story on twitter @jojognome. #jojobbook

December Nursery & Primary School Workshops

jolly holly

 

Booking is now open for Jolly Holly Workshops for Scottish Nursery and Primary Schools.

New Cards & Badges

New cards and badges have been added to JoJo Gnome’s Etsy shop. It’s all about hearts and flowers.

b&w heart webrose_pink_webred heart webheart_venice_web

 

Autumn Sound Hunt

JoJo Gnome Sound Hunt

Listen Up, A Sound Hunt.

In JoJo Gnome and the Sound Machine, my little gnome discovers the joy of listening and collecting sounds. In this very visual world its good to get our kids back to appreciating their surroundings using all their senses … so here’s a good work out for little ears.

A sound hunt, which will keep under 5’s amused inside or outside the house …a listening walk. There are lots of ways to do this but here are a few suggestions

(a) Use the chart with the picture symbols and go looking for the sounds near by…it shouldn’t be too hard. There is a chart for outside and also for inside the house. Add in your own sound symbols too.

(b)  For older children be more specific in your instructions. Listen for 3 kinds of different birds. Listen for 2 different water noise (drips and water from the tap) etc.

(c)  Let the kids create their own sound hunt …here’s hoping you are up for the challenge!!!!

Enjoy having fun with sound and happy listening!

JoJo Gnome Sound Hunt

Nina’s Building Houses

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So delighted that my Nina & the Neuron’s Script (Cbeebies) is being broadcast on Friday 11th September 2015 at 4.30pm on the Cbeebies Channel. A really enjoyable programme to work for and the kids love it! Jane Baxter and her team do a cracking job lifting the words off the page and making science fun and accessible for Nina’s young fans. Who is my favourite Neuron? Well I think it has to be Bud!!!! He makes me laugh…or is that I make him funny? Pick it up on BBC iplayer or check out the Cbeebies Nina page for episodes of the show, games and more fun stuff!

 

Jolly Holly Workshops coming for winter 2015

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It’s strange but looking out of the window at the lovely late summer sunshine, inside in my studio … it’s snowing! I am currently working towards winter in stories, animation and on the card front. I have just finished the designs for JoJo Gnome’s first winter collection (cards & badges).  I’m soon starting on the animation for a Christmas poem which (if all goes well) will feature in the Christmas workshops this year. It’s been written so the poem can be jumbled up and a new version made every time.

I have also been planning what’s in the Christmas workshops this year. So as well as the jolly jumbled poem (perhaps with puppets), there’s sound stories to be made, guessing what the gifts are in JoJo’s Christmas stocking using our senses and tree decorating animation. The workshops are aimed at nursery and primary groups so they will be fun. Check out the workshop page for more details.

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The JoJo Gnome cards are going well online and I’ve had some nice reviews …even an order for California (very exciting). Drop in and have a look.