Free Vector Drawing Tools

If you want to do some vector drawing then there's a wide range of tools available:

• Draw in Google Docs - very simple to use and available online 
• Dia is good if you're after a download. 
• Libreoffice has a nice drawing package included too
• Scratch has some basic vector drawing tools and is great for interactive stories

Inkscape is also very good, but I find it too complicated for most primary students. I would also like to mention that PowerPoint 2013, because it's free functionality if you already have office. It has a complete set of vector tools which I'd say are as good as older versions of illustrator. I use it to teach my year 4 students drawing and animation and they love it.

Fun MineCraft-Inspired Activities for the Real World

Minecraft is probably the electronic equivalent of Lego, available on tablets PCs and Macs and is a lot of fun to play, but there must be more to life than green blocks! Here are 20 ways that children can craft in the real world.  As the summer holidays come up, here are 20 activities you can do with MineCraft.

1. Learn to code – Start with Scratch. You can code online at:http://scratch.mit.edu/  There is also a great series of videos at: http://learnscratch.org/ Then you will be able to make your own Minecraft.
2. Do some kitchen-based experiments -http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/tp/kitchenscienceexperiments.htm  Just like they mix up in Minecraft.
3. See a real sunset, not just the square blocks in Minecraft.
4. Use real Lego and make a stop motion movie. There are plenty of apps for iPads and Android, we use: https://itunes.apple.com/th/app/stop-motion-studio-pro/id640564761?mt=8.
5. Do some real swimming, like Steve in Minecraft. See how many laps you can swim in a row. Keep practising, then see how many you can do by the end of the summer. 
6. Write a novel/short story, let Minecraft be your inspiration.
7. Draw or paint something! Apps are available, but using real paints and pencils could be even more fun.
8. Look at real stars one night! Even better, go camping!
9. Prepare dinner for your parents, not just eat pretend food in Minecraft.
10. Create a photo journal, ideally of the real world! Not just snapshots of your Minecraft world!
11. Make High Tea. (A very English tradition with scones (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scones_1285) and cucumber sandwiches cut very precisely)  Just like in your Minecraft hotel!
12. Learn ten new words every day, so that you can chat better in Minecraft.
13. Try to live a whole day without any technology.
14. Rank order the top ten movies of all time. (Watching them is optional) After all there’s more to videos than Minecraft tutorials.
15. Do some real arts and crafts.
16. Hunt down some real fossils, minerals and rocks at a local beach.
17. Learn to fold real origami. http://www.origami-instructions.com/.
18. See a real forest.
19. Learn some real mixing with Education City, http://www.educationcity.com/ (free trial available).
20. Plant something and watch it grow.

Hierarchy of Visual Programming

Many people enjoy the creativity of making games, the graphics and the coding but how do you as a teacher know where to start? And where to go to bring your children up to a professional level! The answers are all in this video that I made. I hope you enjoy it!