Category Archives: Educational resources

Spotlight on Australia

Game on Scotland is supporting youngsters across the globe as they explore learning inspired by the XX Commonwealth Games.

In New South Wales there is a real spotlight on Health and Wellbeing. 1st Oak Park Joey Scouts and ensuring youngsters start as they mean to go on by exploring why exercise and healthy diet are important. Knoxfield Primary, Melbourne continue with the Healthy theme, setting themselves a Healthy Eating challenge.  They will also focus on the challenges of countries across the Commonwealth – both the challenges they face within individual countries as well as the challenge to enter a team of athletes to participate in Games events.  Students in Monash Special Developmental School are playing the different Commonwealth sports and St Philip’s Community School are running a two week themed event which has a range of sporting events as well as crafts and afternoon tea – sounds lovely.

In Western Australia Year 1 students are learning about other cultures and developing a greater awareness of tolerance and understanding. By focusing on Commonwealth countries, students can begin to appreciate opportunities available across the world, how they themselves fit into this and how they can use this purposefully as they grow and learn.

In South Australia over 400 students in Risdon Park Primary are buddying up to compete in a Commonwealth Sporting extravaganza. Each class will also research and study a Commonwealth country and share their learning at an assembly. Over in Blackfriars Priory School, there has been an explosion of “Spud-letes”. We were intrigued by the Spud-letes (athletes made from potato). Students are busy creating their Spud-lete, putting together their profile, autobiography, vital statistics etc. Spud-lete’s will represent different Commonwealth countries across a range of events – “Spud-put”, “Spud-vault”. Students will then measure, record and display results alongside their Commonwealth Country statistics and information. Here at Education Scotland we can’t wait to see pictures of the Spud-letic Games, and we will share these with you!

As you might expect, schools in the Queensland area are beginning to get excited about the XX Commonwealth Games and the prospect of them being handed over to GOLD Coast Organising Committee in a few short weeks.

Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment are already exploring ways in which they can best support students to learn more about the culture, customs and people across the Commonwealth. Their eLearning platform Scootle is already filling up with resources, learning ideas and competitions all aimed at helping students embrace cultural studies of the Commonwealth and develop local community partnerships.

Musgrave Hill and Park Lake State Schools are already hard at work in digital design of a mascot that they hope will be photographed across the Commonwealth. They are keen to compare the view from their own school with those of others across the Commonwealth, discovering similarities and celebrating differences in lifestyle and location. Year 5 students in Bounty Boulevard State School have a 100 days of learning Diary Challenge using the Kids Journal App for iPad. Stories will be shared with buddies in the upper school as well as North Lakes elderly community – where it is hoped students will gain some interesting tales of days gone by. Up on the Sunshine Coast, Glasshouse Country Christian College are holding an Athletics Carnival showcasing a range of Commonwealth events. In preparation for this, students will keep a journal of their training efforts and accomplishments.

Finally, Year 4 students at Mudgeerabab Creek State School have been set a challenge to design a drink bottle suitable for an athlete to use. The bottle needs to be suitable for a range of sports with youngsters drawing on their scientific knowledge of both natural and processed materials in a bid to identify the best option for their bottle. Prototypes will be put to the test during Mudgeeraba Creek’s own Commonwealth Games event as students compete over a range of sporting events.

Wow! We are excited reading about all the interesting activities planned in Australia over the next few weeks and months in celebration of the Games. We are sure that this is the first rung on the exciting ladder leading up to the XXI Commonwealth Games 2018 in Queensland – now less than 3,800 days away!

The Glasgow Games 2014 App

The St Joachim’s Glasgow Games 2104 app will get you out of the starting blocks and prepared for the XX Commonwealth Games being hosted in Glasgow.

The app contains a wealth of information on the history of current Commonwealth sports, competition schedules, venues, travel information and fascinating and useful facts on the participating nations and territories*.

Pupils from St Joachim’s Primary School in Glasgow, as part of a 2014 Legacy project, have researched and designed the content and this app allows you to find out everything you need to know about Glasgow 2014 at the tap of a button.

*Requires internet connection.

You can download the app from:

Google Play Store – Glasgow Games 2014 

App Store – Glasgow Games 2014

Celebrate the Queen’s Baton Relay

Let's Hear You
The Queen’s Baton Relay returns to Scotland on 14th June and will tour all 32 local authorities over the following 40 days, before its arrival at the Opening Ceremony at Celtic Park on 23 July – it’s a great opportunity to get close to this Games icon and link it to your learning.

To help you play your part, Glasgow 2014 have created a free online kit for you, your community, school, family and friends. Be the loudest and proudest supporters by making up your own Queen’s Baton Relay megaphones, headbands, banners and more. Cut them out, colour them in and wear them when the relay comes past to support your local batonbearers. Cheer them on in style!

You can download the Supporters’ Kit from the Glasgow 2014 website here.

You can also find out when the relay will be in your area on Game On Scotland’s Information and route page.

Support Your Favourite Athlete – Download Team Scotland Posters For Free!

GoScotland_EilidhChild
Back in January with 200 days to go until the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) released a new set of athlete images depicting ‘ones to watch’. Such has been their popularity that CGS has made them available as posters to download free of charge so you can get to know some of the faces of Team Scotland who will be representing us in Glasgow this summer.

Download the posters now at www.goscotland.org/download-posters-2

The 11 photos have been taken at iconic locations around Scotland, with some of Team Scotland’s prospective team members and medal hopefuls.

The strong common theme of the photos is ‘Proud’ and is a clear demonstration of what it means for athletes from across the length and breadth of the country to represent Team Scotland in Glasgow next summer.

The fabulous and striking images have been created by Glasgow photographers Alistair Devine and Stuart Gray and build on the set of images shot at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and launched in April 2013 to mark the start of the athlete selection period (access those posters here).

Calling for the Scottish public to get behind the team, as they start the final leg of their journey to the Games, 400m hurdler Eilidh Child said: “These amazing photos show just how much it means to all of the athletes to represent Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games this year.

“It was a real privilege to have been chosen as one of the athletes to take part in the project. I hope they inspire everyone to cheer us on all the way and I for one am determined to do Scotland proud next summer at Hampden Park.”

From Eilean Donan Castle at Kyle of Lochalsh to the beaches of Carnoustie and Edinburgh Castle and Forth Rail Bridge the images depict the magic that Scotland has to offer as a place to live, work, visit and of course host major sporting events. The Falkirk Wheel and the Wallace Monument are also featured, with aim to make the whole of Scotland feel part of the Games.

Glasgow based images showcase a number of the Games competition venues in Kelvingrove, Hampden Park and the stunning new SSE Hydro, whilst the cranes of the BAE Systems shipyard at Govan on the Clyde remind us of our strong industrial heritage and technological innovation.

The images will be used throughout Team Scotland’s back the team campaign – ‘Go Scotland!’

Photo list:
Athletics – Eilidh Child, Hampden Park, Glasgow
Para-Sport Athletics – Meggan Dawson-Farrell, Falkirk Wheel
Badminton – Imogen Bankier, Eilean Donan Castle, Kyle of Lochalsh
Boxing – Josh Taylor, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Cycling – Katie Archibald, Forth Rail Bridge, North Queensferry
Gymnastics – Dan Purvis, SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Judo – Euan Burton, Wallace Monument, Stirling
Lawn Bowls – Alex Marshall MBE, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
Shooting – Shona Marshall, Carnoustie
Para-Sport Powerlifting – Micky Yule, BAE Systems, Govan, Glasgow

Images for the remaining eight sports will be released shortly.

You can find out more about Team Scotland on the Game On Scotland website.

Commonwealth Connections – Vision Africa

Vision_Africa_small logoCommonwealth Connections is a project by UK registered charity, Vision Africa. The Commonwealth Games Federation says the aim of the Games is “Uniting the Commonwealth through sport.”

The 2014 Games provide a unique opportunity for children in various Commonwealth countries to learn about themselves, each other and the countries which will be competing in the event.

Vision Africa works with disadvantaged children and young people in Kenya. Through Commonwealth Connections, the charity aim to give children a forum to find out the similarities as well as the differences between children in Kenya and the UK.

Child with Scotland flagOne of the aims of the project is to teach children that despite living in different economic circumstances, their fellow children often share the same dreams, enjoy the same activities and even eat some of the same foods.

As well as celebrating diversity, we hope that engaging in Commonwealth Connections will help young people realise they have a lot in common too.

Vision Africa have pulled together a range of resources including videos, photographs, activity sheets and information which are free to download.

Why not keep up to date with progress by following on Twitter @VisionAfrica or Facebook

New Venue Films available

Scottish National Hockey Centre

A range of top-class sporting venues across Glasgow and Scotland will be used for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and we’ve produced films for each, to help you see where the action will take place. Access them on the Game On Scotland site.

From the Athletes’ Village through to Tollcross International Swimming Centre, there’s a wide range of spectacular venues to explore, all captured on film to make for an interesting viewing experience. We are currently finalising the Hampden Park film and this will shortly be added to the site.

On a related note, for those teachers who may be thinking of organising trips to the venues, control will shortly be handed over to the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee to enable them to be made ready for the Games. When this happens, they will no longer be open to the public and it will not be possible to accommodate visits or tours. At that point, the priority is to make the final modifications necessary to deliver 11 days of world class sport. Please do not contact Game On Scotland about organising visits as we are unable to assist.

Red Cross – Commonwealth Games Resource available now!

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

New Gaelic resource pack for Commonwealth Games available now!

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!

Game On Scotland: 2013 in review

As we approach the final days before the year of the Games begins, it seems an appropriate time to provide an update on some of the achievements of Game On Scotland since its launch in May of this year. Over 1200 Scottish schools have already engaged with the programme in some way, along with numerous youth groups and organisations, and we’ve also engaged others from across the Commonwealth.

It’s certainly been busy and, of course, we expect it to get even busier in 2014, which is why we’re looking for some help. So before this year ends, let’s take a look back at some of 2013’s Game On Scotland facts and figures.

1st May 2013, Game On Scotland launch

It all started with a bang, as Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, joined Cllr Archie Graham from Glasgow City Council and David Grevemberg, CEO of Glasgow 2014, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. With a helping hand from Clyde and Hillhead Primary School pupils, the Game On Scotland programme went live, with a particular focus on the Athletes’ Village Art Competition. This flagship competition still has a few places remaining for schools yet to sign up – register with us and your pupils’ artwork will appear in the bedrooms of the 6500 athletes and officials coming to Glasgow next year. Hurry though, the deadline for registration is 17th January (deadline for submission of artwork is 28th February).

Game On Challenge

279 schools and organisations have now told us about their Glasgow 2014 learning plans, by submitting their Game On Challenge. Although the majority come from Scotland, we now have 11 Commonwealth nations and territories represented, including St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, one of the smallest territories in the Commonwealth.

We’ve also begun awarding Game On Scotland plaques to schools who are successfully demonstrating just how exciting the Games can be as a context for learning. Congratulations again to Crown Primary School in Inverness and to Comely Park Primary School in Falkirk for their achievements. Your school could be next, simply by telling us how you’ll be learning using the Games in a Game On Challenge entry.

Game On Scotland Ambassador

Just this month we were delighted to announce Scottish hockey star Holly Cram as the first Game On Scotland ambassador. As well as her athletic achievements, Holly is a qualified PE teacher and currently coaches at Dollar Academy. As we begin 2014, Holly will be taking part in Glow Meets, speaking at events and visiting schools to promote the Game On Scotland programme and the Games.

Learning Journeys

There are now 35 learning journeys available in the resources section of the site, covering all curricular areas and appropriate for all stages. These resources are designed to offer ideas to use with your class or group. To date, these resources have been downloaded over 20,000 times by teachers and educators – assuming that each resource is used with 20 learners, that could be 400,000 young people engaging with the Games!

Some of the most popular learning journeys so far have been:

CPD Events and Glow Meets

We’ve successfully delivered two national CPD events for teachers and educators, in Glasgow and Inverness, with at least one more to follow, likely to be in Dundee in February next year. Feedback has been outstanding, with 97% of delegates rating as either excellent or very good in terms of usefulness. Keep a look out for information on the next event, which will be released early in the new year.

We’re also midway through a programme of Glow Meets, with CPD events at the beginning of each month and events for learners at the end. We’ve linked each month to a curricular area and these events bring a particular focus to the Games as a context. Next up in the series is our “Maths/Numeracy and Game On Scotland” CPD session on 7th January.

Game On Scotland network

Although everything on the Game On Scotland site is freely available, we encourage teachers and educators to sign up to the network. As the programme is constantly evolving, with new information, resources and opportunities added on a regular basis, signing up ensures you can keep up! 3,500 have already joined our mailing list and receive the monthly updates we send, highlighting the latest content – join them by registering here.

Anything else?

Well we’ve also been helping Clyde to visit schools around the country, supporting engagement with the Queen’s Baton Relay and promoting all sorts of other education opportunities. It’s been a busy eight months, but there’s a lot more to come in the next eight as we set our sights on the largest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland – if you haven’t already joined in the excitement, then sign up to play your part and get ready for Game On Scotland!

Human Rights Day 2013

Human Rights Day LogoToday 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.