This series of films captures the thoughts, journeys and emotions of the athletes Libby Clegg, Michael Jamieson, Jessica Ennis, Lizzie Armistead and others as a testimony of their endeavour, determination, discipline and persistence often against all the odds.
The films allow the audience to look behind the scenes to discover what drives these athletes to be the very best they can be.
Small testimonies of the greatness that lies dormant within every human being!
Dance opportunity for young people in the North East: The Four Seasons
We’d like to make you aware of this fantastic and free opportunity; Aberdeen International Youth Festival are looking to recruit young people from across the North-East, with varying levels of experience, who will work with internationally renowned choreographer and community dance leader Royston Maldoom, former Artistic Director of Scottish Dance Theatre Tamara McLorg, and selected Scottish dance artists. The project takes place in the summer holidays leading up to a performance on 20 July in Aberdeen.
To find out more information and to apply, click here. Deadline 3rd July 2014.
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 last three Commonwealth Class debates before the end of term will take place from 11.00 – 13.00 on the following days
Thursday 5 June: Our Home and Native Land – Join us for a live debate which features our first Commonwealth Class School Stories competition-winning film! The film was made with a school in Canada and this debate will focus on indigenous people within Commonwealth Countries and how we protect our heritage.
Thursday 12 June – Authors Live: Going Wild with Steve Backshall – wildlife journalist, adventurer and writer Steve Backshall will talk about the conservation issues that feature in his action adventure books. Join us as we team up with Authors Live for a debate about animal and environmental conservation.
Thursday 19 June: A debate focusing on education which features our competition-winning film from a school in East Kilbride.
For more information please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass/24727940
From the 18 July to 3 August the Global Diaspora Village will open its doors to host a wide variety of cultural activities and celebrations. A colourful programme from musical, dance and theatrical performances to art workshops and live streaming of the ceremonies will provide something for everyone.
One highlight will provide the opportunity to enter the Guinness Book of Records in a attempt to bring together the largest Gospel Choir ever on 20 July.
The village will also provide a unique space to reflect and relax in the middle of the Commonwealth Games buzzle.
The programme includes the following:
For more information please visit http://www.globaldiasporavillage.co.uk/
This is our second brief blog in the series which highlights how partners across the Commonwealth, and indeed the globe are using Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context for learning.
This month, we are shining a spotlight on Highgate School in Nicosia, Cyprus. Highgate is an international school for learners from 29 different nationalities. Highgate posted the 700th Game On Challenge and the Year 4 class have been exploring Scotland through a cross-curricular project.
At the beginning of the project, learners shared their knowledge of Scotland and famous Scots. They had heard of the Picts and Celts and that the Romans build Hadrian’s wall. As to wildlife, we have Highland Cows, Haggis(!) and Nessy, the Loch Ness Monster (although the children were not sure what a Loch was until it was explained to them!) Turning a spotlight onto Culture, children told tales of old castles, shortbread, tartan skirts(!) and Bagpipes.
This provided an interesting beginning for the children as they went off in pursuit of their challenge to find out more about Scotland. They have been exploring Scottish Culture and identifying a number of famous Scots both past and present who have had an influence across the World.
Children have been gathering all they have discovered, putting this together in a short video of 61 Facts about Scotland which is well worth a watch!
Not just confined with interesting facts, the youngsters in Nicosia have set themselves some sporting challenges too. They have just completed their Swim Relay Challenge and it is clear that everyone is having great fun!
This is the first in a brief blog series highlighting how partners across the Commonwealth, and indeed the globe are using Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context for learning.
Coinciding with the award of our first Game On Scotland plaque on foreign soil, we couldn’t resist the temptation to shine a spotlight on one of our Canadian school partners.
For Major Ballachey Elementary School in Brantford Ontario, participation in projects like Game On Challenge and Commonwealth Class provides a fantastically rich opportunity to foster a greater depth global awareness for students. Staff see it as a key component in their drive to cultivate a collective sense of pride and accomplishment for all students.
There is a real passion to share meaningfully with peers across the globe. Major Ballachey students decided the best way to do this was to create a series of short videos documenting life in and around the school. These provided the gateway to further collaboration with other Commonwealth schools.
Commonwealth Class has provided an unprecedented opportunity for students to interact directly with their peers across the globe. Participation in debates across international borders is invaluable as students strive to understand that the richness of our multiple identities are fundamental to the Commonwealth’s principles and approaches.
The Commonwealth is close to the heart for students at Major Ballachey. Located in Brantford, which itself is close to Hamilton, recognised as the birthplace of the British Empire Games, now the Commonwealth Games. This ensures students have a keen eye on the forthcoming games, the athletes and of course the VIP Baton event at which they were awarded their Game On Scotland plaque by Cabinet Secretary, Ms Shona Robison.
– DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY 9th MAY –
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games aren’t just about the top class sporting action, there’s a whole host of cultural activity too and this is the chance for groups from your school to get involved…
Festival 2014 is a huge Games Time celebration in Glasgow running alongside the sporting action. It will transform the city from 19 July to 3 August with an invigorating mix of entertainment, culture and enjoyment filling the streets, spaces and stages of Glasgow. The highlight of Festival 2014 will be three specially created Live Zones, one at Glasgow Green, one in the Merchant City and a third at Kelvingrove Bandstand. Here you will be able to experience the buzz of the Games, watch live sport on big screens, participate in arts and sports, and watch music, dance, comedy and film in outdoor stages and spaces specially designed to put you at the heart of the Games experience, at the heart of the city.
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been working with organisers to offer outstanding performance-based groups from the education sector the opportunity to showcase their talent in Glasgow during the Games. If you have groups in your school or centre who excel in music, dance or theatre then please read the supporting brief and complete the expression of interest form attaching any supporting media (e.g sound clip/video/pictures) and submit electronically to the address contained within no later than 5pm on Friday 9th May.
The opportunity is open to groups from primary, secondary and special schools, colleges and universities in Scotland, as wells as groups from uniformed youth organisations.
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games aren’t just about the top class sporting action, there’s a whole host of cultural activity too and this is the chance for groups from your school to get involved…
Festival 2014 is a huge Games Time celebration in Glasgow running alongside the sporting action. It will transform the city from 19 July to 3 August with an invigorating mix of entertainment, culture and enjoyment filling the streets, spaces and stages of Glasgow. The highlight of Festival 2014 will be three specially created Live Zones, one at Glasgow Green, one in the Merchant City and a third at Kelvingrove Bandstand. Here you will be able to experience the buzz of the Games, watch live sport on big screens, participate in arts and sports, and watch music, dance, comedy and film in outdoor stages and spaces specially designed to put you at the heart of the Games experience, at the heart of the city.
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been working with organisers to offer outstanding performance-based groups from the education sector the opportunity to showcase their talent in Glasgow during the Games. If you have groups in your school or centre who excel in music, dance or theatre then please read the supporting brief and complete the expression of interest form attaching any supporting media (e.g sound clip/video/pictures) and submit electronically to the address contained within no later than 5pm on Friday 4th April.
The opportunity is open to groups from primary, secondary and special schools, colleges and universities in Scotland.
