Category Archives: Curriculum for Excellence

Great Scots learning resource

This new addition to the Studying Scotland website was launched at SLF 2013.  Practitioners will find it useful if they are preparing teaching materials for the 2014 Year of Homecoming.

Learning journeys for the broad general education covering all eight curriculum areas will become available in the near future. This first release has learning journeys on historical figures David Livingstone, Robert the Bruce, John Muir and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Contemporary inspirational Scots include Paul Lawrie, Evelyn Glennie, Theresa Breslin and Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow.

Click here for the resource.

National Poetry Day

Scottish Poetry Library have announced National Poetry Day will take place on Thursday 3 October 2013.

The theme for this year is ‘Water’, and they are delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Water to provide a great range of teaching resources to support.

Online resources are now available free on www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/learn and include:

·         a set of teaching notes for each poem

·         a pdf poster of each poem (doubles as a larger print text) to download and print

·         a pdf poster to advertise National Poetry Day

Scottish Water’s updated education materials, including a range of activity-based modules all about water for early, first, second, third and fourth level are now available free onwww.scottishwater.co.uk/education

Ideas and Sketchbook Development workshop

2 day workshop title ‘Idea and sketchbook development’ at the Off the Rails Arthouse in Ladybank, Fife onMondays October 7th and 14th, 9.00am – 3.00pm.

One of the most important aspects of a students’ portfolio is demonstrating their potential and their commitment to art outside of the classroom. Working on self motivated ideas is a really important indication of this potential and commitment.

For this reason and following the success of our first workshop in July, Portfolio Oomph is running a second‘Ideas and sketchbook development workshop’ at Off the Rails Arthouse in Ladybank especially for school pupils wanting to apply to art college this year.

Participants will learn how to generate and explore individual ideas through the creative process in your sketchbook. Looking at research, development and introducing you to some exciting new artists. Ideal for those students applying to art college next year or those who want to add to their higher or advanced higher portfolio. A sketchbook and some materials will be provided.

Portfolio Oomph was established in 2012 by artist and lecturer Julie Read who has worked at F.E and H.E. for 17 years and has interviewed 100s of candidates for Edinburgh College of Art first year.

‘I enjoyed the relaxed but proactive atmosphere, learning new techniques and the tutor support when feeling stuck. I feel quite excited to take what I’ve learnt here further and do more workshops. I would definitely recommend Portfolio Oomph.’ Margaret Hume (workshop participant, July 2013)

‘Looking at different techniques and being in good creative company were the highlights of the workshop, as was working in the open, relaxing and stimulating atmosphere. The workshops were a great kickstart and I have had a couple of productive days this week. A mentoring workshop on a regular basis would be excellent. Zoe Darbyshire (workshop participant, July 2013)

NOTE: Portfolio Oomph provides links to useful creative industries websites, examples of artists and designers working in the industry, active blog and social media that informs and challenges concepts and ideas surrounding the creative arena, FAQ’s on the art college application process and development of portfolios. Our affordable downloadable products include eBooks and eCourses that take students through the process of creating and developing a portfolio and guidance through the UCAS application process.

http://www.portfolio-oomph.com/sketchbooks/sketchbook-workshop2/

Edinburgh International Book Festival / ScottishPower – Calling All Writers Of The Future

A search is on to find the school with the most creative minds.  The annual Story Generator competition is a national writing competition which invites young people across Scotland to collaborate and create their own stories.

The school that has written the best book will win a collection of books from the Edinburgh International Book Festival, with a printed copy of their Storybird online book included. The Pupil who devises the best page wins a Kindle which will come loaded with their own online book.

To find out more and to register your school, visit www.storybird.com/scottishpower

YMFS Feedback: Forums

You are invited to attend:

YMFS Feedback: Forums

Thursday 26 September, 2013 from 5:00 PM—5:30 PM

Livestream Link: http://bit.ly/ForumsFeedback

Join us online for the fifth episode of ‘Feedback’, our series of monthly live streamed broadcasts, led by Youth Music Forum Scotland and broadcast via Livestream, exploring current topics in youth music from all across the country.
For this episode, focussing on ‘Forums’, we are joined by special guests and forum leaders Jess Abrams from Edinburgh Youth Music Forum and Iain Bruce from East Lothian’s ElJam.
The live discussion will look at different types of youth music forum, how they are run and the benefits and opportunities they are providing for young people. We also hope to be joined by a few forum members who will be able to give us a special insight into being part of a youth music forum and the activities involved.
Take part in the conversation live online where you can ask our guests any of your questions on youth music forums and find out all about what’s happening in youth music in Scotland this month. Pose questions to the guests in advance of the event by emailing, hello@ymfs.org.uk or on Twitter (Twitter.com/YMFScot) or at Facebook.com/YMFScot or alternatively, you can call the Inner Ear office and ask to speak with Benny or Anny, on 0141 226 8808.

The live stream discussion will run from 5:00—5:30 PM on Thursday 26 September 2013, join us on Livestream and take part…

Inspired? Get Writing! Creative Writing Competition 2013/2014

Enjoy writing but need that little bit of inspiration and a goal to get started?

Why not enter this years Inspired? Get writing! competition? You can write in prose or poetry about anything that has inspired you from our permanent collection: drawings; paintings; prints; sculpture; photography; installation. There are five categories for school pupils and adults. Four volumes of Inspired? Get writing! have been published, featuring winners from previous years, so you can check out the standard. For full details download the rules. There is also a resource pack which you might find helpful.

There are 5 categories:

•           Under 12 years

•           12 – 14 years

•           15-18 years

•           Adults prose

•           Adults poetry

Entries should be submitted by Friday 17 January 2014.  Results of the competition will be announced by Thursday 17 April 2014.

For more information click here.

Tesco Bank Art Competition for Schools 2014

The National Galleries of Scotland invites entrants to this art competition.  Last year there were over 11,000 entries.

There are six categories, each with a different theme:

Category A Nursery: Fish

Category B Primary 1-3: Drumming Soldiers and Fluttering Fairies

Category C Primary 4-7: Amazing! I Could Do That!

Category D S1-S2: Speed

Category E Special Education Schools: Fire

Category F Group Entries: Any of the above themes

Pupils are asked to view a small selection of artworks on line. Teaching notes and lots of discussion ideas are provided with links made to Curriculum for Excellence.

Closing date: Friday 2 May 2014.

Click here for more information.

Glow TV events

LearnCat Tell a Story, Journeys

19 September 11.00

http://bit.ly/1eZ5Nxi

At the Scottish Storytelling Centre – Journeys

Join us in Glow TV for the third of our Tell a Story events with the Scottish Storytelling Centre. This event lets you find out more about ‘Journeys’

‘Tell a Story Day’ is celebrated across Scotland in October. In the 3 weeks leading up to this national event join Storytellers in the ‘bothy’ at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh via Glow TV.

Dinosaur Discovery

20 September, 1.30

http://bit.ly/198Cqm9

http://blogs.educationscotland.gov.uk/glowscotland/2013/09/16/dinosaur-discovery/

What kind of dinosaurs do you know about? Which was the largest, which was the smallest, which had the most horns, or longest neck, or which at the most food? How can we learn more about the dinosaurs that ruled the earth using evidence and fossils and what they can tell us about the history of the earth? What type of dinosaurs roamed the planet and where did they go?

LearnCat Fruit Crumble Cakes Bake Off from Cooking Bus in Wallace Primary

24 September 11.00

http://bit.ly/1e8IjYC

Join us for the fourth Bake Off event live in Glow TV where the cooking bus team will demonstrate how to prepare your ingredients safely and hygienically and a chef will talk about the ingredients he/she has sourced and demonstrate how to bake tray-bakes. Watch the live demonstration and ask the Chef on board questions about ingredients, food hygiene or get some baking tips.

Meet the Artist – David Batchelor

24 September 14.00

http://bit.ly/1grThnQ

Turning the ordinary into something beautiful

David Batchelor is an artist, born in Dundee and now living in London who is best known for his brightly coloured sculptures using industrial materials including lightboxes from neon street signs, industrial dollies used to move heavy objects and items from everyday life such as brightly coloured plastic sunglasses and kitchen utensils.

Mary Queen of Scots

2 October 2013 13.30

http://bit.ly/15QbBBb

Join our expert team at the National Museum of Scotland to find out more about the life and times of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Crowned Queen of Scots at just nine months old; married, crowned Queen Consort of France and widowed all by the time she was 18 years old: Mary Stewart’s life was nothing if not eventful.

More Scotland Sings

2 October, 14.15

http://bit.ly/13ntfBR

Join Scotland Sings once again for a classroom singalong! Previous events have had schools up and down the country joining in with songs both in Scots and Gaelic.

For full details of these and other events, please log in to Glow and view the current schedule:

(Glow log-in and password required).

Glow Exclusive! Turning the ordinary into something beautiful

David Batchelor is an artist, born in Dundee and now living in London who is best known for his brightly coloured sculptures using industrial materials including light boxes from neon street signs, industrial dollies used to move heavy objects and items from everyday life such as brightly coloured plastic sunglasses and kitchen utensils.

As part of the Education Scotland Learning Experiences Catalogue, David will join us live on Glow from his studio in London on Tuesday 24 September at 2pm to talk about his artwork and answer your questions. To sign up for the event, simply visit Glow TV.

For a full schedule of forthcoming learning experiences and to find out more,  visit the LearnCat today.