Category Archives: Social Studies

Competition, Creativity, Primary schools, Social Studies

Design a River Creature Competition – British Council

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Win a trip to Totally Thames with Rivers of the World
Enter your primary school into our ‘Design a River Creature’ competition
The prize


We will pay for the winning team to take part in the Totally Thames season of events and enjoy lots of fun activities including a student workshop at the British Council and a visit to the Tower Bridge Experience.
What do I need to do?

Using the Rivers of the World education pack as a resource, ask students to work in groups of five to create an art work and an accompanying piece of creative writing. It can be based on a real or imaginary creature from an overseas country and river ecosystem.

Who can enter?

Primary Schools Years 4 & 5 (5 and 6 in Scotland)

Closing date: 12 noon, 27 June 2014.

Find out more and apply:

http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources/rivers-of-the-world/competition

The Rivers of the World education pack contains high quality, river themed cross-curricular lesson ideas. As well as a supporting resource for this competition, the pack can be used as a stand-alone resource or collaboratively with a partner school.
Drama, Health and Wellbeing, Primary schools, Social Studies

New Gang Awareness Drama Workshop and topical Autumn production for schools

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Presents:
Two brand new Drama Workshops and a topical Autumn Production!

Gang Awareness Drama Workshop
90 minute workshop with two facilitators, suitable for P6 / P7 – two classes (66 pupils) £185.00.
•    Highlight the advantages of being an individual as opposed to gang member.

•    Increase understanding that underneath gang membership there is always fear.

•    Develop confidence and self-esteem in pupils and increase emotional literacy.

•    Promote healthier relationships between pupils and the extended community.
Link to Hopscotch webpage for more info

Colin’s Well Healthy Drama Workshop
90 minute workshop with two actors, suitable for P4 – P7 – two classes (66 pupils) £185.00.

Starting with a comical 10 minute performance which acts as a springboard into the rest of the workshop.
•    Highlight the long-term benefits of healthy eating through role play.

•    Reveal the long term problems of unhealthy eating.

•    Provide an increased knowledge of and interest in healthy eating.

•    Provoke discussions around adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Link to Hopscotch webpage for more info
Other available drama workshops are:
Fair Trade, Anti-Bullying, Superhero, Eco and The Blitz

Recent feedback from Eddleston Primary on our Fair Trade Workshop:

“Catered really well for different ages.  I loved the participation.  Great control over the children – kept them engaged.  Best Drama CPD I have had in a long time.”
Fiona Taylor, P5- P7, 22/4/14

St. Andrew & the Story of Scotland’s Flag
A fun, fifty-five minute performance with music and song. P1 – P7 £395.00
SOC 1-04a – I can compare aspects of people’s daily lives in the past with my own by using historical evidence or the experience of recreating an historical setting.

SOC 2-02a – I can interpret historical evidence from a range of periods to help to build a picture of Scotland’s heritage and my sense of chronology.

SOC 2-03a – I can investigate a Scottish historical theme to discover how past events of the actions of individuals or groups have shaped Scottish society.

LIT 0-04a – Listen or watch for useful or interesting information and I use this to learn new things.
Link to Hopscotch webpage for more info
Phone Gordon or Susan on 0141 440 2025
Art, Art and Design, CPD, Expressive Arts, Primary schools, Science, Scotland Colleges, Secondary schools, Social Studies, Technologies

New CPD sessions at DCA

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Click on the link below to download the booklet from DCA detailing new creative CPD sessions for the next academic year.
DCA aim to combine their classroom experience with exciting programme content and ‘really useful’ resources so that teachers take away something that can be used in class the next day.  There is  a charge but within that they provide tea/coffee and cake/nibbles to keep folk going.
Primary schools, Secondary schools, Social Studies

Battle of Bannockburn Short film competition- Vote Now!

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The shortlist has now been announced for the Battle of Bannockburn short film competition. Schools entered from across the country and there was such a variety of styles, plots, characters, scripts and costume that the team really struggled to decide between the entries however the final five are: Craigour Park Primary,  Knightsridge Primary,  Letham Primary,  Sanquhar Primary and Ullapool High.

One member of the judging panel ,who will choose the overall winner, is you, the public. Follow this link to watch all five films and then vote for your favourite. All five films are great examples of storytelling and drama and staff have been really impressed by the depth of knowledge all our film-makers have on the battle. Your pupils will love the films that have been created, why not watch them together and then cast your vote.

Education Scotland, Primary schools, Secondary schools, Social Studies

Homecoming Scotland

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Click on the image for more info

Scotland is welcoming the world in 2014. Homecoming Scotland 2014 now includes over 700 events, happening the length and breadth of the country, extending the benefits of the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games and positioning Scotland on the international stage as a dynamic and creative country with a rich history and culture.

We would like to hear what Homecoming activity your school is undertaking and would be grateful if you could complete a short survey by 9 May 2014. There are five questions so completion should only take a few minutes. This will help the Scottish Government and Education Scotland to build a picture of what is taking place in schools across the country.

CPD, Literacy and English, Secondary schools, Social Studies

Mapping the Nation: representations of Scotland, 1200-2000, conference

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Saturday 26 April (9.00 – 5.00 pm)

A one-day event for teachers of history and literature in Scottish secondary schools exploring the multiple ways in which Scotland has been visualized and represented through cartography, history, and literature. There will be presentations on current projects that can be used to enhance the teaching of Scotland’s rich historical and literary past; and a round table workshop session to explore the potential of future collaborations, with displays of projects, resources, and publications. Speakers include history and literature teachers from universities and schools, National Library of Scotland on historical mapping, National Trust for Scotland on Bannockburn and many more. The event is fully catered and attendance is free thanks to funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh, but registration is needed via Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/mappingthenationNMS.

Community Learning and Development, Science, Scotland Colleges, Social Studies, Young Scot

2050 Climate Group Opportunity

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Young Scot, Scotland’s award-winning national youth information and citizenship agency, and the 2020 Climate Group, the national group working to deliver a low carbon future for Scotland. We are writing to ask you to help us to raise awareness and circulate an exciting new opportunity for young people; the 2050 Climate Group.

The 2050 Climate Group is a pioneering initiative within Scotland with the ultimate aim of empowering young people to shape Scotland’s low carbon future. The group will present a national platform to represent the voice of young people to engage, influence and shape the transformational change required for Scotland to progress to a low carbon economy. Group members will have the opportunity to engage in decision making at a national level and share their views, experiences and findings.

The 2050 Climate Group will make a unique contribution towards ensuring that young Scots have the opportunity to raise awareness of issues surrounding climate change and sustainable solutions and show young people that they need to be actively involved in creating a low carbon future for all. No formal qualifications are necessary but we do expect that all members have some degree of influence and leadership experience and will be able to commit to the group for a minimum of one year. It will provide young representatives with the opportunity to be part of leading the drive to a low carbon future for Scotland, undertake high quality training, improve skills and partake in great networking opportunities.

We are inviting young people aged 18-30 from across Scotland, who are passionate about the environment and want to make a difference, to apply to volunteer with this exciting new climate group and help to lead the drive to a low carbon future. This is an excellent opportunity for young individuals from business, NGO, Third Sector and community backgrounds, who are already having an influence in their communities, to make an even bigger impact.

Here is the link to the information: https://www.youngscot.org/mag/2996-18-30-we-need-you-to-help-stop-climate-change.

Challenge, Creativity, Opportunities, Scotland Colleges, Secondary schools, Social Studies

Opportunity – Network Rail Ambassadors

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Interested in Rail Safety? Want to enhance your CV? Complete a Saltire Award?

If you answered “yes” to these three questions, we’d like to hear from you.

We’re looking for 30 young people aged 14 – 21 years from across Scotland to become Ambassadors to participate in a 12-month peer investigation programme in local Primary and Secondary schools to help promote safety on the railways and the new improvements to their local rail services. You will have the chance to advise important decision-makers from Network rail on what you think should happen to try and change young people’s and Scotland’s relationship with rail safety.

As a Ambassador you will take part in approximately 4-6 meetings and events throughout the year and also do some investigation work in your own time with the support of Young Scot and local partners.

If you interested in becoming an Ambassadors check out the documents below.

Application Closes – Tuesday 29th April

Ambassador_Role_Description_FINAL_VERSION_2014

Network Rail Ambassadors Application_Form_FINAL_VERSION_2014