Category Archives: Curriculum for Excellence

Creative Partners, Creative practitioners, Curriculum for Excellence, Learning, Opportunities, Primary schools, Social Studies

Historic Scotland – Activities for schools

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Entertaining the Earl!

Aberdour Castle

Tuesdays by arrangement

FREE activity for schools (P4-7)

Discover what life was like at Aberdour Castle in the 16th century. Who lived in the castle and what did they wear?  How did they spend their time?  Tour the castle, try on some outfits from the period and learn a dance to take back to school!

Phone 01383 860 519 to book a session

A Sense of Dunfermline Abbey

Dunfermline Abbey

Dates in June by arrangement

FREE activity for nursery/schools (P1-3 )

Explore the five senses through the story of David, a young monk at the abbey.  Discover sound in the nave, taste in the abbey kitchen, smell from the herb garden, light through the windows and textures in the dormitory by taking part in hands-on activities

Phone 0131 652 8155/56 to book a session

Competition, Creative Learning, Creative Partners, Creative practitioners, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Literacy and English

Scottish Book Trust – Treasures

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This year’s annual campaign is Treasures, which is currently running on the Scottish Book Trust website.  Stories submitted by the deadline of 31 July 2013 will be considered for inclusion in the Treasures book, thousands of copies of which will be distributed during Book Week Scotland – 25 November to 1 December 2013.

Together resource packs for schools and adult learning tutors are also available, which can be found in the resources section of the website.  http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/treasures/resources

Creative Partners, Creative practitioners, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Glow TV, Music

Glow TV – Working in the Music Business, 5 June 2.00 pm

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World of Work Wednesdays is back again!  This event will give you a great insight into the real world of the music industry. The UK music business employs 150,000 people and is worth £3.5billion to the UK economy. We’ve brought together experts from all aspects of the industry including a manager, a singer, a record producer and a marketing manager.

To find out more information and to sign up to watch, click here.

Art, Art and Design, CPD, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Dance, Drama, Education Scotland, Events, Expressive Arts, Literacy and English, Music, Opportunities, SLF13, Technologies

Scottish Learning Festival 2013

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Registration is now open for this year’s Scottish Learning Festival (SLF), which takes place on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September in the SECC, Glasgow.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will give the opening address to SLF.

In addition, there will be the keynotes from the following international renowned speakers:

  • Prof Andy Hargreaves, Thomas Moore Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, University of Boston;
  • Dr Avis Glaze, Edu-quest International Inc. and former Chief Student Achievement Officer of Ontario; and
  • Dr Pasi Sahlberg, Director General, Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation, Finland.

As well as round table discussions led by:

  • Prof Petra Wend; and
  • Dr Bill Maxwell and partners.

The full programme of keynotes and seminars along with details of the range of additional activities are available on the SLF website.

Seminars which may be of interest

The M Factor

Finding their Voice: Engaging teenagers with poetry and debate through rap and performance

3-18 Curriculum Impact Reviews: Creativity 3-18

Launch of Education Scotland’s Building Capacity for Continuous Improvement strategy

Global Citizenship – Bringing It All Together

Learning experiences through Glow – Partnership working

Moving image education: Screening Shorts

Expressive arts: What’s on the third horizon?

English language class arts exhibition project: East Kilbride

Short & sweet: Short films as a route to developing modern foreign languages

Creative Partners, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Events, Expressive Arts, Glow TV, Outdoor learning, Science

Look, Capture, Create – B is for Biodiversity and Beauty, 4 June

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During week 3 of the ‘Look, capture, create’ interdisciplinary learning experience we will be joined by a scientist/mathematician from Dundee University live in the Dundee Botanic Gardens to learn more about the importance of Scottish Biodiversity and how we can do simple things to help nature survive and grow. We will look in particular at the types and purposes of the beautiful patterns nature creates.

To sign up for this event, click here.
Find out more about this interdisciplinary learning experience below and visit the Look, Capture, Create Glow group here.

Art, Creative Partners, Creative practitioners, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Dance, Drama, Events, Expressive Arts, glow, Glow TV, Literacy and English, Music, Science, Technologies

Look, Capture, Create

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Curious and creative learners from across Scotland have been exploring the importance and beauty of Scottish Biodiversity through Scottish designer/illustrator Johanna Basford’s exhibition ‘Wonderlands’ via Glow TV. This interdisciplinary learning experience has been developed in partnership with Dundee Contemporary Arts and is being supported by Sarah Derrick, Head of Education at DCA and Anna Rossvoll, Emerging Technologies Development Officer with Education Scotland.

Look Capture Create outline for educators

Johanna Basford is an ink evangelist who creates beautifully intricate hand drawn designs using black ink. ‘Wonderlands’ is her first solo exhibition and it is proving to be a magical context for creative learning through expressive arts, science, mathematics and languages.

Before the project went live learners were invited to join the Look, Capture, Create Glow group by submitting an InkyME! The response was astounding. Currently there are  InkyMEs exhibiting from Burravoe, Carron, Clackmannan, Hythehill, Lochgelly West, Lincluden, St Andrews and St Patricks primary schools.  The InkyMEs have even travelled to Dundee to attend the first live Glow TV event ‘Wondertales’ at Dundee Contemporary Arts on 13th May.

‘Wondertales’ encouraged learners to look at the intricacy of Johanna’s designs and to capture the detail in words to create a Wondertale!  Wendy Woolfson, an incredibly talented storyteller led the event, creating breath taking stories based on three of Johanna’s wallpaper designs. She then went on to create a collaborative tale as learners submitted their ideas live during the event. You can watch Wendy in action here.

This use of an exhibition as a form of text truly captured the imagination of learners and they have submitted incredible  Wondertales to the Glow wiki.  Learners are taking the  time to read each other’s work and leave comments. It would be lovely if you could do the same. (Glow username and password required)

Keep up to date with the Look, Capture, Create Glow blog and the next Look, Capture, Create Glow TV event will take place at Dundee Botanical Gardens at 10am on the 4th June.

Post taken from Education Scotland’s Learning blog written by A.Rossvoll

CPD, Creative practitioners, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Dance, Drama, Expressive Arts, Music, Opportunities

Discover Dalcroze

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Discover Dalcroze is a two-day event taking place at University of St Andrews Music Centre 2-3 November 2013, providing a practical insight into the Dalcroze Method.  Workshops will be led by the UK’s leading experts and there will be specialist sessions on its application is a wide range of settings.
  • Movement and instrumental teaching – Flautist Lis Dooner and students from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland demonstrate how Dalcroze can be used to enhance practice and performance skills
  • Dalcroze and String Teaching – Monica Wilkinson will show how Dalcroze can be used to develop physical awareness and technique alongside musicianship
  • Music, Connectivity and the Plastic Brain – Eric Barnhill takes us on a tour of the musical brain
Other topics addressed in relation to Dalcroze include:
  • Dyslexia and dyspraxia
  • The elderly
  • Special needs
  • Relationship between Dalcroze and Music Therapy
  • Dalcroze for singers
Detailed information can be accessed by clicking on the logo below, where bookings can also be made.
Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Drama, Events, Expressive Arts, Secondary schools

Quality Drama in June

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CALUM’S ROAD – TUESDAY 11 & WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE  7.30PM

SPECIAL SCHOOLS PRICE – £5  Suitable for age 14+

Directed by the highly-acclaimed Gerry Muldrew, the National Theatre fo Scotland presents Calum’s Road in co-operation with Communicado Theatre Company.

Calum’s Road has become the stuff of modern folklore. It is the remarkable true story of one man’s single-minded determination to challenge the powers-that-be and that story is returning to stages across Scotland by popular demand.

TEECHERS by John Godber – MONDAY 17 JUNE  7.30PM

TUESDAY  18 JUNE  10AM

SPECIAL SCHOOLS PRICE – £8.50  Suitable for age 12+

Brought to the stage by the highly acclaimed Blackeyed Theatre, with high energy, break-neck comedy and breathtaking ensemble performances, Teechers is a modern classic with something vital to say about education for the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’

Fast-moving, inventive and highly entertaining, Teechers is John Godber’s brilliant take on life at a modern Comprehensive

Box Office: 01592 583302    www.onfife.com

CPD, Creativity, Events, Opportunities, Scotland Colleges, Technologies

Learning Through Gaming

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Thursday 20 June 2013 (10:00 – 16:00)
Dundee College, Gardyne Campus


This event will consider the current and developing context of games in education and how education can embrace the potential for these environments.
As part of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, participants at the event are encouraged be as ‘dangerous’ as possible in considering how gaming can influence pedagogy and encourage greater engagement with learning.
Speakers include Chris van der Kuyl of brightsolid, Derek Robertson of Education Scotland and David Renton of Reid Kerr College.
For more information about the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, visit the website,Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Challenge, Competition, Creativity, Curriculum for Excellence, Health and Wellbeing, Opportunities

Game On Challenge– put your goals for 2014 on the map

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Is your school or organisation planning to mark the Commonwealth Games with a specific initiative? A fun run or sports day perhaps? Getting involved in the Queen’s Baton Relay? A whole school initiative? Or is your local authority running a Mini Games programme?

No matter how big or small your Games related initiatives are we invite you to share them through the Game On Challenge and add to the excitement now building towards Glasgow 2014, the biggest multi-sporting event ever hosted in Scotland.

Benefits of taking the Game On Challenge

  • Your school/organisation will be showcased on the Game On Challenge interactive map alongside other entries from across the UK and beyond. This will provide others with ideas and inspiration for learning through the Games.
  • Every school and organisation that takes part will receive an official ‘Game On Scotland’ certificate.
  • Education establishments may also be eligible for a Game On Scotland plaque in recognition of imaginative ways they have used the Games as a context for learning.
  • All entries will be in with a chance to win exclusive Glasgow 2014 prizes.
  • Scottish schools who sign up by the 24 May will be entered into a free prize draw to receive a visit from Clyde, the official mascot for the Games.

How do we share our challenge?

Simply visit the Take the challenge page and complete the form.