Category Archives: curriculum

curriculum, Educational resources, International Education, partnership

Red Cross – Commonwealth Games Resource available now!

April 28, 2014 K. Mayer Leave a comment

What is the connection between the Commonwealth Games and asylum-seekers and refugees? The answer is all in the welcome.

The British Red Cross have created a resource which explores the themes of welcome and cultural understanding in the run up to the Commonwealth Games. You can choose from a selection of quick activities featuring lesson starters and quick explorations for tutor time.

Find out more:

http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/Teaching-resources/Lesson-plans/Commonwealth-Games-welcome

Expressive Arts, Performance opportunity

Entertain the Athletes at the Games

April 2, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

Think you’ve got what it takes to entertain the world’s best athletes? Well, the Glasgow 2014 organising committee wants to hear from you!

Over the 11 days of the Games, they are looking to showcase the best of Scottish talent and to embrace the culture and traditions of the Commonwealth Countries at the Commonwealth Games Village. The Village will include a fun packed, energetic and exciting programme of events and performances to entertain our athletes and team officials during their stay. They welcome interest from variety of performers as they seek to make this opportunity as diverse as possible, creating a unique and memorable experience for our visiting Athletes. Whilst music and dance are likely to feature, they’re open to your creative entertainment suggestions. Interested? Well here’s the important information you need to know…

Dates: 23rd July – 3rd August 2014
Timex: 12.00pm – 23.00pm (depending on type of performance)
Length of performance: Vary depending on entertainment, no longer than 2 hours
Location: International Zone, recreational centres, village green – based at the Commonwealth Village
Open to: Performers aged 16+ (with chaperones where required)

Limitations: Due to the operational security requirements for the Games, access to the Village for performances will be subject to security procedures, including a system of accreditation developed by Glasgow 2014. Groups should also be prepared to organise and fund their own travel to Glasgow during the Games.

Timeline: Expressions of interest using this form should be returned to laura.bryan@glasgow2014.com by 30th April.

Educational resources, Literacy

New Gaelic resource pack for Commonwealth Games available now!

March 17, 2014 K. Mayer Leave a comment

We are delighted to announce that Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, with support from Education Scotland, are distributing a colourful Gaelic resource pack on the Commonwealth Games.

The pack includes a poster with the Commonwealth flags; a poster showing the 17 sports which will be at the Glasgow Games; stickers suitable for sport, such as A’ Chiad Àite, Tha mise math ann an sgioba, Bhuannaich sinne! (First Place; I’m a good team player; We won!) and two sets of cards about the sports at the Games and about the Commonwealth countries.

The cards convey information in a way which will encourage the Gaelic reading, comprehension and speaking of the pupils, and there are assignments for them to do too. There are questions on lifeskills maths, and plenty opportunities for research. The findings can be presented in a variety of ways such as reports, web pages and podcasts.

There is differentiation in the maths work, and it is expected that pupils will work to their own level in the other activities. There will be something for everyone, whether working on their own or in a group, and with the help of the cards, pupils will be able to speak in some depth about the sports and about the countries which are part of the Commonwealth.

Teacher’s Notes with suggestions for using the resources, sample questions, country data, and links which will help with the research, are available on the Stòrlann website. We are also organising a competition with cool prizes in conjunction with Bòrd na Gàidhlig, and interactive on-line games.

We hope there will be plenty winners with this Commonwealth Games pack!

Educational resources, Glasgow 2014, International Education, RME

Human Rights Day 2013

December 10, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Today is international Human Rights Day, celebrated across the globe on 10 December every year. Sixty-five years ago on this date, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaiming its principles as the “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.”

The day has been marked by commemorative events across the globe and by the publication of a range of documents, including Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP), aimed at improving human rights protection in Scotland, and Glasgow 2014’s own plan for how it will approach human rights. Seventy nations and territories, representing one third of the world’s population – half of them under the age of 25 – will take part in the Games and the diversity of circumstances can make for an excellent link to discussion of human rights issues.

During the month of December, Game On Scotland is focusing on the Religious and Moral Education (RME) curricular area and the discussion of human rights can be an important part of this. On the Game On Scotland site, you’ll even find a learning journey designed to help explore human rights in the context of the Games. In addition, the next Glow meet for learners, part of our regular series, will take place on 17th December at 11am, again with an RME theme – sign up to take part here.

Competition, International Education, International partnerships, Literacy

Youth Leadership programme: 33Fifty

December 5, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

33Fifty is a leadership programme for young Commonwealth citizens aged between 18 and 25. Devised by a partnership of the Royal Commonwealth Society and social enterprise Common Purpose, the programme aims to develop young people to lead change and use the Commonwealth’s networks to greater effect. The name of the initiative is derived from the statistics that 33 percent of the world’s population live in a Commonwealth nation or territory, and 50 per cent of those are under 25 years old.

The programme will involve participants in a range of practical activities in July 2014, focused around a challenge relating to an issue of importance to all Commonwealth countries – “what role does the youth of the Commonwealth need to play in progress towards low-carbon economies”.

Organisers are inviting young people, aged 18-25 on the 17th July 2014, to apply to become part of the programme. Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 16th March 2014. The programme will bring together 100 young people, from Scotland and from the wider Commonwealth, to investigate, discuss and prepare some conclusions on the key challenge issue. Participants will then present their responses to some of the senior politicians who have gathered in Glasgow for CG2014.

The programme has attracted funding from both Scottish Government and commercial sponsors. It forms part of the cultural legacy of CG2014, and was launched in Scotland last week by Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport.

curriculum, Glow Meet, RME

Game On Scotland and RME – Glow CPD, 3 Dec @ 4pm

November 27, 2013 K. Mayer Leave a comment

On 3^rd December 2013 (4pm – 4.45pm) is the first of the Religious and Moral Education ‘Game On’ Glow Meets. This is a great opportunity for practitioners to link what they’re doing in RME with the incredible sporting and cultural spectacle which is the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This will be a chance to discuss with colleagues across the country how RME is uniquely placed to explore a dizzying variety of issues linked to the Games – cultural, social, moral, philosophical – to name but a few…

So log on at GOS RME Glow Meet and take part in a stimulating and challenging discussion about how RME can lead on exploring the Games in Scotland’s educational establishments. Cultural diversity, moral issues in sport, taking part or winning, beliefs about sport and beliefs and sport –let’s get RME to the heart of the games!

So, join this unique training session from the comfort of your own chair… be a winner (participants will qualify for a Clyde Mascot visit) – make sure you’re there!

For your diary: Learning zone session for classes to get involved: 17 December, 11am.

If you have missed any of our previous Glow Meet sessions on the Queen’s Baton design, Talor Lawn Bowls production, literacy and the Games etc. why not catch up on it HERE.

Glow Meet, Queen's Baton Relay, Technologies

Learning Zone Glow Meet: The Queen’s Baton Design

November 15, 2013 K. Mayer Leave a comment

Join us on Tuesday, 26^th of November (11am – 12noon) for the second of our Game on Scotland Technologies Glow meets. (Glow meet sign-up: http://bit.ly/gostechnologieslearningzone)

This session allows learners to:

– hear from the Queen’s Baton designer Will Mitchell (4cDesign) & share their own a baton design ideas

– find out more about the challenges of producing lawn bowls from Grant Heron Taylor bowls

– learn how they can get involved in the Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award from Angela Greene from Primary Engineers.

In order for your learners to get involved most effectively in this session why not:

– Set your class a baton design challenge

– Prepare a 2 minute pitch of your idea to Will Mitchell from 4cDesign (Dragons’ Den Style) on the day.

Please register for the glow meet before the 26^th Nov. We will aim to have as many schools as possible involved in the challenge. For more information email Kirsty McFaul (DO Technologies) kirsty.mcfaul@educationscotland.gov.uk

Watch again!

If you missed last week’s excellent presentations from Will Mitchell and Adam Best (Queen’s Baton Relay Team, Glasgow 2014) you can watch this again here

Literacy, partnership

Digital Common Wealth Schools Programme

October 30, 2013 K. Mayer 2 Comments

Learners from 32 school clusters from targeted areas of most socio-economic need across Scotland will be given the chance to participate in the Digital Common Wealth schools programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the University of the West of Scotland and the MediaTrust and launched formally on Friday 25th October 2013, with a great deal of interest shown from the education and cultural sectors and over fifty attendees. The project aim is to involve every Local Authority in Scotland in the digital reporting of the Commonwealth themes in the run up to the Queen’s Baton Relay in June 2014, promoting digital media literacy skills through a series of specialist workshops (with associated learning materials mapped to Curriculum for Excellence requirements) focusing on audio, video, blogging and social media storytelling techniques, for up to 20 pupils (at P6 – S2 level) per cluster. These will use readily available technology to help learners use their imagination and knowledge to produce creative, appropriate and engaging content based around four broad Commonwealth themes of People, Place, Culture and Exchange. Participating schools will see their work showcased on a project website which will be archived as a record for future generations and there will be opportunities for working on a collaborative and cross curricular basis.

To participate in the project the Digital Common Wealth project team are looking for a Local Authority representative in each area to submit an indication of interest form

detailing how the proposed school cluster meets the project eligibility criteria and why they would like to take part, as well as details of how the project would be embedded in the curriculum. Indications of interest should be submitted to the Digital Common Wealth Educational Coordinator, Alison McCandlish by email (alison@digitalcommonwealth.co.uk ) by 5pm on Friday 29^th November 2013.

For more information on the project, together with detailed eligibility criteria you may wish to visit the Digital Common Wealth website www.digitalcommonwealth.co.uk , and the links below:

Digital Common Wealth schools project website http://digitalcommonwealth.co.uk/project/education/

Digital Common Wealth Twitter account @DigCW2014 with project hashtag #DigCW2014

Digital Common Wealth on EDUtalk http://www.edutalk.info/radio-edutalk-11-09-2013-david-mcgillivray/

Digital Common Wealth launch event schools project summary slide http://www.slideshare.net/DigCW2014/schools-presentation-for-launch-27532818

Digital Common Wealth launch audio http://mixlr.com/johnpopham/showreel/digital-commonwealth-launch-live-from-glasgow-digcw2014-3/

Educational resources, International Education, Literacy, Queen's Baton Relay

Take Part in “Authors Live: Storytelling Relay”

October 3, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

When: Thursday 31 October at 11am (50 minutes)
Age: Primary 4-7 or 8-12 years
Where: your classroom, library, hall or computer at home!

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To celebrate the Queen’s Baton Relay setting off on its journey around the Commonwealth, Authors Live has brought together storytellers, Peter Chand, Lari Don and Mara Menzies (India, Scotland & Kenya) to share traditional tales from their homeland in this storytelling relay.

You can apply to be part of the audience, use the learning resources and even win prizes in a special draw. To find out more about the event, and to register, visit http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/node/111293.

The Sorytelling Relay will be streamed live on www.bbc.co.uk/commonwealthclass and schools can email commonwealthclass@bbc.co.uk for more information.

Authors Live is a collaboration between Scottish Book Trust and BBC Scotland Learning, funded by Creative Scotland.