Category Archives: Primary schools

Community Learning and Development, CPD, Early Years, Health and Wellbeing, Primary schools, Social Studies

A Celebration of Food Culture across the Commonwealth

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What we eat and how we eat it is central to our sense of identity. Education Scotland would like to invite Early Years, Primary and Community Learning Development practitioners to experience the diversity of Scottish cuisine in today’s multicultural society.

When:     Saturday 22nd March 2014
Where:   Tollcross International Swimming Centre
Time:      9.30 – 3.30pm
Cost:       FREE

During the day, there will be opportunities to experience practical demonstrations in preparing and tasting foods, looking at how food traditions and food intolerances shape our society.

There will be an opportunity to network with food related agencies and explore resources to enhance classroom practice.

Delegates can also explore locality, availability and sustainability of foods to support interdisciplinary projects, such as the Commonwealth Legacy.

Aims of the event:

  • Develop the network of support organisations to enhance learning linked to food cultures and how we are feeding the visitors and athletes of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games
  • Explore the cultural diversities of food in our current society
  • Link the ‘Food for Thought’ resources into classroom practice and interdisciplinary learning
  • Support staff applying for Phase Two of the Food Fund with ideas and possible business partners


Please register online by Friday 7th March. Early registration is advised as this event is likely to be very popular.

Please use the link to find out information and apply for the Phase 2 of the Food Fund.

Creative practitioners, Primary schools, Scotland Colleges, Secondary schools, Technologies

Gaming project opens up new worlds of creativity – TES article

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“Part of it is embracing uncertainty, being open to whatever comes up,” said Dangerous Ideas curator Karen Lawson. “It’s about a belief that everybody is creative, and helping them to realise that.”

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6400535

TES article exploring the Festival of Dangerous Ideas and how two primary, secondary and colleges from Scotland and Norway collaborated on an innovative online gaming project that developed new ways of learning.

Creative practitioners, Events, Primary schools, Secondary schools

11 days left to nominate for this year’s Creative Learning Award

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The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms and this year you can make nominations for the Creative Learning Award:

http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/nominate/categories/creativelearning.asp
The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday 21 February 2014.

Funding, Primary schools, Secondary schools

FINAL REMINDER: Seedcorn Transport Scheme 2013 – apply now to avoid disappointment!

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Fife’s Cultural Partnerships Team would like to take this opportunity to remind you that there is still some funds left in Seedcorn Transport Scheme for 2013.  The Scheme will run until the end of March 2014 and there has been a strong uptake on funds till now.

The Scheme is in place following demand from both schools and those in the cultural sector for support with transport costs. If the fund is not used it will no longer be available so please use it or lose it!

We are keen that this scheme allows maximum participation and will take numbers benefitting into account when assessing the application.

Please note that the scheme will support cultural activities within Fife only.  This could be a trip to the theatre or a museum or a visit to the forest or a cathedral.

Conditions:

·         The Scheme is open to schools and also community organisations that support vulnerable groups who wish to attend creative and cultural opportunities which they would not otherwise have the capacity to attend.

·         Activities must take place between September 2013 – end of March 2014.

·         Applications must be made using the ‘Seedcorn Scheme Application Form 2013’.

·         Support is available up to a maximum of £250.

·         Only one application will be considered per school/organisation.

·         No retrospective applications will be considered.

·         An evaluation form must be completed and returned no later than 4 weeks after your activity takes place. Applicants who fail to return the evaluations will not receive seedcorn support for future funding rounds.

Your application should meet at least one of the following Actions from Generations of Change – A Strategy for Culture in Fife 2011-13 (www.fifedirect.org.uk/culture):

Action 2 Identifying the barriers to cultural participation and ways of overcoming them.

Action 3 Encourage communities to maximise cultural opportunities to celebrate their strengths and their heritage.

Action 5 Increase access to participation in cultural activity and creative learning opportunities.

Please note that financial support is limited and applications will be assessed on a first come first served basis.

Events, Health and Wellbeing, Primary schools, Secondary schools

International School Meals Day, Thursday 6 March 2014

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This year’s International School Meals Day (ISMD) takes place on Thursday 6 March 2014. Last year’s event was hugely successful and saw hundreds of schools across Scotland, and thousands of young people across the globe, coming together to raise the importance of food and nutrition. It is hoped even more Scottish schools will be encouraged to take part in ISMD 2014.

The theme of ISMD 2014 will be Food Stories and will encourage children and young people to promote healthy eating and learning through stories that involve food and which communicate the culture of people, and their dreams for a healthier and better future.

We would encourage all schools to celebrate the day and get involved in any way they can, it could be something as simple as a themed lunch or as grand as a fund raising event, involving the whole community, to raise money for a charity involved in school feeding programmes across the world.  ISMD is also being promoted through school catering networks, and you should speak to your catering team about how you can work together to mark the day.

You can get involved in ISMD 2014 through the website www.internationalschoolmealsday.org and you can follow ISMD 2014 on Twitter at @IntSchoolMeals or on Tumblr at International-school-meals-day.tumblr.com.

CPD, Creative Partners, Dance, Primary schools

MARCH CPD TRAINING DAYS FOR TEACHERS

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It’s not long now until we deliver our CPD training days for nursery and primary teachers, beginning 5 March.
If you have considered using dance in the classroom but don’t know where to begin then these sessions could be ideal for you.
It’s not about turning you in to a dancer, or about how much dance experience you have. In fact, it’s all about your pupils and how these CPD sessions can give you ideas you can adapt to the needs of your own classroom.
If you are just starting out we’d recommend taking part in the Basic Components of Dance just to give you a better understanding of the basics. Then you can move on to Dance & Science, Dance in Numeracy, Dance & Stories or all three. It’s entirely up to you. Discounts are available for multiple bookings.
Give us a call on 0141 552 7712 to make an enquiry/book any of these sessions, or you can email victoria@ydance.org
Details of all our CPD are listed on our website www.ydance.org
NURSERY & LOWER PRIMARY
Basic Components of Dance
5 March 2014 (9.30am to 12.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
Dance & Stories
5 March 2014 (1.30pm to 4.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
UPPER PRIMARY
Basic Components of Dance
12 March (9.30am to 12.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
Dance & Science (Making Science Physical)
12 March (1.30pm to 4.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
Basic Components of Dance
19 March (9.30am to 12.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
Dance & Numeracy (Let Numbers Dance off the Page)
19 March (1.30pm to 4.30pm)
@ a venue in Glasgow tbc – £40
Literacy and English, Primary schools, resources, Secondary schools

Commonwealth Poetry FREE book give away

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February is here so we’re sharing the love by giving away a copy of Poems United, edited by Diana Hendry and Hamish Whyte. The anthology contains poems from Commonwealth countries around the world and is great for use in primary and S1/S2 classes. To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is follow Making Makars. New followers between now and 14th February will be entered into a prize draw. And did we mention that it’s all completely free? Good luck!

Events, Opportunities, Primary schools, Science, Secondary schools, Social Studies, Technologies

FIFE SCIENCE FESTIVAL 14th – 23rd March 2014

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Medieval Construction Science Show

Monday 17th – Thursday 20th March

Discover how Medieval castles were built with Historic Scotland in our cross curricular free show for P4 – S1 pupils. Pupils will take part in demonstrations as they follow the journey of a block of stone from a quarry to the top of an arch, exploring energy, forces and technology along the way!

Sessions available at the following times each day: 9.50am, 11.10am, 12.40pm & 2pm

Free workshops

Funding available for travel subsidy – conditions apply.

Booking essential – contact Historic Scotland Learning Services on 0131 652 8155 or hslearning@scotland.gsi.gov.uk to book.

Audience: P4 – S1 pupils

Venues:  Monday 17th – Tuesday 18th March

Aberdour Castle, Aberdour KY3 0SL

Wednesday 19th – Thursday 20th March

St Andrews Cathedral, The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR

From Flags to Flanders Fields

Monday 17th – Friday 21st March

WW1 had a profound effect on the British population and communications played a vital role in both civilian and military life.  With no radio, television or internet and few telephones in private homes, the public relied on newspapers for general information and telegrams for urgent, special messages.  The military required rapid, secure communications in battle conditions which resulted in some major developments in technology.  Imagine living at the time of WW1 and have a go at signalling with flags, lamps and Morse – and much more!

Free outreach workshops

Booking essential. Contact Dorothy Brankin on 01506 823424 or at dc_brankin@tiscali.co.uk to book.

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: Primary schools throughout Fife

Video Game Design

Friday 14th & Monday 17th – Friday 21st March

Did you know that the UKs’ video game industry is one of the largest in the world? Would you like to be a part of it? Well now you can by creating characters that dance, sing and interact with one another. Add sound effects, backgrounds and music clips and then post online.

£350 for full day of workshops

Booking essential. Contact Lynne Kerr on 0131 6530580 or info@sescotland.computerxplorers.co.uk to book

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: South Fife Primary Schools

Lego Robotics

Friday 14th & Monday 17th – Friday 21st March

Using the latest Lego robotics technology to build and program amazing creatures that can move using motors, gears and wheels. You will learn how to program sensors to make the robot react to its surroundings. Program robot birds to chirp, crocodiles to snap and place engines to rev!

£350 for full day of workshops

Booking essential. Contact Lynne Kerr on 0131 6530580 or info@sescotland.computerxplorers.co.uk to book

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: South Fife Primary Schools

I am Unique!

Monday 17th – Friday 21st March

What is happening in the amazing and rapidly changing world of DNA and genetics? What better way to learn about this fascinating and exciting area of science than to get hands-on with DNA extraction.   In this workshop, learners create a unique necklace, containing their very own extracted DNA, to take home with them.  Complementing our “I am unique” workshop, a mini-loan box is available to continue with the learning in your classroom. Introduce your inspired scientists to Dundee’s most inspiring scientists, learn about inheritance and explore more about DNA, its structure and why it matters!

Special education rates available.

Funding available for travel – limited availability, conditions apply.

Booking essential. Contact the Science Learning Team on 01382 868609 to book.

Audience: Primary Pupils (Second level)

Venue: Dundee Science Centre

Our extraordinary universe: amazing invisible light

Monday 17th – Friday 21st March

In this workshop, learners can participate in one or more investigative activities around visible and invisible electromagnetic radiation, making use of the hand-held infrared camera, laser optics kits, spectroscopes and ultraviolet sources.  Through this, learners will develop their understanding of the properties of electromagnetic radiations, including visible light.  How can we make use of visible and invisible light, and what difference does it make to us? How does gathering information across the EM spectrum from space impact on our lives?

For learners in third and fourth level or studying for qualifications in Physics in National 4 or 5.

Special education rates available.

Funding available for travel – limited availability, conditions apply.

Booking essential. Contact the Science Learning Team on 01382 868609 to book.

Audience: Secondary Pupils

Venue: Dundee Science Centre

Primary schools, resources, Secondary schools, Social Studies

Investigating Medieval Abbey Life object handling box

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Schools in Fife can access a new resource that helps bring the past to life!  Medieval Abbey Life object boxes are available at Dunfermline Abbey, St Andrews Cathedral and Inchcolm Abbey and are free for any educational group to use on site as part of a visit and sessions can be facilitated depending on staff availability.  Guidance notes are available in the boxes and on the Historic Scotland website to enable group leaders to familiarise themselves with what’s in the boxes.  Boxes should be booked directly with the relevant site.  For further information search the schools activity programme – http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/learning/educational-groups/earlyyearsprimary.htm

Art, Art and Design, Assessment, Building the Curriculum 4, Curriculum for Excellence, Dance, Drama, Education Scotland, Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy and English, Music, Numeracy and Maths, Primary schools, Science, Social Studies, Technologies

Primary curriculum conversation day – Friday 7 March

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Education Scotland is holding a conversation day focused on the primary curriculum on Friday 7 March in Duloch Primary School, Dunfermline. This event is aimed at school leaders.  We are keen to take stock of how the curriculum is developing in primary schools and hear school leaders’ views and experiences.

The purpose of the day is to:
•    consider how the curriculum is developing in the primary sector, particularly in relation to the raised expectations; and
•    identify areas that require further support and what that support needs to look like.

There will be opportunities to hear from a variety of colleagues as to how they are taking forward curriculum development at a strategic level in their schools as well as time for discussion.

If you would be interested in attending please contact margaret.mcguinness@educationscotland.gov.uk. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please note travel expenses are not paid for conversation days.