Pupils and teachers in primary 6 & 7 at Head of Muir PS are enjoying their developing Water Source storylines. The Water Source is a global storyline created by the West of Scotland Development in Education Centre (WOSDEC) and University of Strathclyde, which you can learn more about by clicking here.
Kirsty Bruce is working on the storyline with her primary 7 class as part of her second year of global storyline training. She is also supporting her colleagues in primary 6 and 7, with their delivery of the storyline, including Nicola Harding, a probationer teacher for primary 6. Nicola has very effectively documented what she has done so far, and how it has impacted on her pupils – see a short extract below, and click here for Nicola’s full documentation:
We started our topic by creating a strong foundation of community. Following initial research into what the term means, we set about creating our own fictional community to become our ‘home’ for the next 8 weeks. Learners were fully engaged with the process from the beginning, largely because they had full ownership of the village and sense of community. We discussed the careers and responsibilities needed to support a village and created characters/families based on these ‘needs’.
Here is our village display. We brought in a selection of junk items and were free to create our buildings in our own way using our own ideas for design and materials. We all worked together to create the river, road and houses.
Since we created our ‘families’, they have become very important to us and we do a lot of things together. We update our character diaries on a weekly basis detailing each new and exciting thing we have been involved in. 
Global storylines are strong interdisciplinary learning which help practitioners develop skills, knowledge, attitudes and values in a powerful, but naturally connected way for their pupils.
Kirsty explained that: “Initially we got together to plan how we would approach the storyline and I shared information I have gathered from the Global Storyline course. I have been very impressed with how Nicola has taken this on in her class and it is great to hear about how involved the children are.
We have mainly collaborated on ideas for the classroom displays and resources that we have each created. However, frequent discussions about how things are going have been very useful for sharing ideas and talking through the plans and how best to approach the learning at each point.”
For more information about global storyline training in Falkirk schools, contact yvonne.mcblain@falkirk.gov.uk .
I have enjoyed watching how the storyline has unfolded in Nicola’s classroom, and have been impressed with the enthusiasm the pupils have shown.
I think this is an amazing idea.
The things that I like is theres pictures and facts about what we have been learning in school.
I am so glad that I got to see this because we have been learning about reports and im also glad im on the internet!!!
This report is fantastic I am going to write better reports now!!!!
I thought this topic was fun. I liked the parade.
The project was good. My favourite part was the celebration.
Thank you so much for doing this for us.
It is so amazing that you are doing all this stuff all for us.
we really appreciate all the work you have done for us it looks fantasic!
we are really happy about what you have done for us.
thank you
I really enjoyed doing this project it was so much fun.The part I liked the best was when Ben and I made and painted the factory. The village looks fab and everyone took part to make it look good.
I have enjoyed doing this topic we have had a lot of fun. and cant wait to see what the next topic will be .
Love this class so much it’s been great to learn and have fun in I can’t wait to learn more.
Mrs. Harding is lucky to have such a wonderful class.
Love this topic and I really enjoyed it. the best part was making the buildings and meeting the mayor so fun!!!
Kid power.
Cool.
I really enjoy doing water as our topic.I also enjoy working in our families, we all work together as a team. we sometimes get to do a play for water in our families. I think our village is really cool! The whole village comes together to work as a team to.
I loved doing this topic and making our buildings,I had so much fun.
Our village is marvellous and intresting, The fun thing was having our celebration and I was having a dance, with a drum pretending it was a banjo and we work as a team and Mrs. Harding is a great teacher.
I’m glad you like it Sophie. I think it is important that we show off the great learning you have. Thank you for your comments on my reporting skills – it’s quite hard to summarise lots of information so that it still makes sense don’t you think?
I’m glad you enjoyed it Robbie – I like a good parade too.
Thanks for your comment Cole. Storyline celebrations are usually good fun, so I can understand your choice.
You are very welcome Millie. I’m glad you like the post and I enjoy telling the world about the good work you are all doing.
Your village does look fab and I agree that it feels good when a team project works out really well.
I wonder what’s next for you Katrina. It sounds as though you are the kind of person who enjoys your learning.
Thanks for your comment Lois. You sound like a really enthusiastic person who is enjoying learning at Head of Muir PS – particularly those drama lessons! 🙂
I know what you mean TJ – thanks for your comment.
Thanks for your short and snappy comment Blair.
Thanks for your comment Lucy – teamwork rules! 🙂
I’m glad you are enjoying your learning so much Cameron. It sounds as though your celebration might have been a little loud? 🙂
This activity afternoon was amazing and I really enjoined making the food for everyone in my class and I hope everyone else enjoined there selfes.
Wow all these afternoon actives have been amazing.
Big thanks to Miss Thomson and Mrs Harding
Thank you.
I have been really amazed by the enthusiasm and excitement P6 have shown towards this blog entry. The children feel that they are involved in a wider scale project and welcomed the opportunity for their views to be heard. I am really pleased that they have found the topic so worthwhile.
This blog has been an inventive way for our work to be published and a great sharepoint for teachers, pupils, parents and other professionals.
I look forward to more opportunities to work with learners on new ideas and topics. That’s everyone for your great input and thoughtful comments.
I have been really amazed by the enthusiasm and excitement P6 have shown towards this blog entry. The children feel that they are involved in a wider scale project and welcomed the opportunity for their views to be heard. I am really pleased that they have found the topic so worthwhile.
This blog has been an inventive way for our work to be published and a great sharepoint for teachers, pupils, parents and other professionals.
I look forward to more opportunities to work with learners on new ideas and topics. Thanks everyone for your great input and thoughtful comments.
I think you have did a good job doing it and thank you for doing such a good information about us.
thank you for doing it on us so thank you.
when you did it you chose us so thank you.
good seting and you did such a good job.
your blog has good coments and I hope it gets more.
Thank you so much for doing this and we really appreciate it .
Mrs Harding and Miss Thomson have helped us to gather all our ideas and made them a masterpiece.
The information that you have wrote for us is astonishing.
We don’t have a bad thing to say about it, we are really honoured.
Thank you 🙂
I haved enjoyed this topic it was the best time of my life.Thank you for making this blog:)
THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙂