Tag Archives: interdisciplinary

Game On in Cyprus

Catching up with the Queen's Baton Relay in Cyprus

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!

Game On Scotland Event: Promoting Equality and Diversity, 7 May, Glasgow

When?   9.15 – 3.00,   7th May 2014
Where?  Hampden National Stadium

Who should attend?
Teachers and senior managers in all schools, Equality Co-ordinators, and those with a whole school responsibility for Games Legacy, including cluster initiatives, community learning and wider curriculum remits related to the Games (e.g. health and wellbeing). In addition it is relevant for those with a wider global citizenship remit and a particular interest in diversity and equality, tackling sectarianism and human rights issues.

About the event:
With Scotland’s biggest ever cultural and multi-sport event so close we would like to invite practitioners to join us and find out more about pertinent issues related to the Commonwealth Games. Reflecting on the three core values of the Commonwealth Games Federation, humanity, equality and destiny, the conference will provide delegates with a speakers and workshops focused on values education in a global context as well as the inclusion of all.
The event will showcase inspirational initiatives from schools and third sector organisations across the board and highlight programmes available to teachers to ensuring that, together, we deliver a lasting legacy for learning. The addresses will be delivered by a number of inspirational speakers covering a wider range of topics from para-sport, tackling sectarianism, inequality and discrimination through the common goals of the Commonwealth and rights based education.  A variety of engaging workshops delivered by practitioners and organisations experienced in Games Legacy work will provide practical, hands-on exemplification on the impact of using the Games as a context for learning.

Workshop sessions will include:
Tackling Sectarianism- Bringing communities together in celebration of Glasgow 2014 (Trinity High School and Stonelaw High School, South Lanarkshire)

Promoting the Inclusion of all – Celebrating the games together across Primary, Secondary and Special Schools (Cardinal Winning Secondary School)

Right’s based education – Learning about our rights and the rights of others throughout the Commonwealth (Education Scotland, Rights Support and Wellbeing Team & UNICEF)

Tackling LGBT inequality across the Commonwealth – A CPD opportunity for all  (John Naples Campbell, Edinburgh College, GTC professional recognition)

 Connecting Classrooms – working in partnership with Commonwealth countries  (British Council and Dumbarton Academy)

 Commonwealth Class – Bringing together young people across the Commonwealth to promote diversity through debate, resources, competitions and activities (BBC and British Council)

Athlete’s Stories- a reflective discussion on how we as practitioners approach inclusion for all  (Scottish Disability Athletes: Johnathon Paterson, Meggan Dawson Farrell and Stefan Hoggan and Theresa Campbell, Education Scotland)

 Access the  GOS Equality and Diversity Event 7 May programme final here.

How to register:
We invite you to join us for an inspirational day of sharing and collaborative thinking around a variety of exciting opportunities by registering for the event on line or directly with Diane Carson: Diane.Carson@educationscotland.gov.uk .

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!

Pitlochry High School – third school to receive Game On Scotland Plaque

Game On Scotland ambassador Holly Cram awarded Pitlochry High School with the Game On plaque for the challenges they have set themselves to creating exciting learning experiences in the wake of the Commonwealth Games. 

The school has planned a whole year of challenges around the Games, ranging from inter-house activity days with Dragon’s Den presentations of their own mascot design to exploring the Commonwealth values. An extensive programme of sporting and outdoor initiatives support the agenda with swim- and bikeathons, extra curricular athletics, badminton competitions organised by the Youth Sport ambassadors, climbing, kayaking & mountaineering and even ‘Street Dance’ sessions. The school will conclude the year with two major events, the Primary Cluster and the High School Commonwealth Sports Day.

Congratulations and best wishes from the Game On Scotland team.

Digital Common Wealth Schools Programme

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 29th 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/

Young people display Olympic spirit: The 2013 Inspire>Aspire Awards

Some of the country’s brightest young people visited Glasgow City Chambers to receive medals for their work on the Inspire-Aspire programme from Olympic Gold Medallist rower, Katherine Grainger CBE, IOC member Sir Craig Reedie CBE and the Lord Provost of Glasgow Cllr Sadie Docherty.

The Inspire-Aspire Awards programme reached 25,000 young people this year by using the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the character qualities of Olympians to inspire young people to set personal goals and to develop future aspirations.

Winning a joint- Gold, 1st Level award at the event were Iona Robertson, Banff Academy and Dornie Burnett from Inverurie Academy.

Dornie chose Nadia Elena Comăneci as her inspirational figure as part of her work on the programme.  Expressing her reasons for her chosen inspirational figure, Dornie said:

 “How many future gymnasts did Nadia inspire? I don’t know the exact number, but it is at least one, because she inspired me”.

 Before presenting the awards, Olympian Grainger told an enthralled audience that it takes commitment and courage to reach the top. She spoke about how it was sheer determination that had helped her finish the race at the London Olympics in 2012. Grainger expressed how important using the Olympic and Paralympic values in everyday life can be, not just in sport.

Inspire-Aspire aims to help young people gain a better understanding of their own character qualities and values and inspire them to create a personal development plan. 

Iona explained how much of an impact participating in Inspire-Aspire has had on her: “The questions it asked me made me put my goals and targets into perspective.”

Event: The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games – A rich context to inspire learning

When? 08:45 – 15:00, Monday, 17 June 2013
Where? Commonwealth House, Glasgow

Who should attend?
School leaders, local authority staff and those with a whole school responsibility for Games Legacy, including cluster initiatives and wider curriculum remits related to the Games (e.g. health and wellbeing).

About the event:
On Monday 17th June, there will be just 401 days before the biggest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland opens in Glasgow. That’s less than 58 weeks! Fortunately, education establishment across the country are already preparing to incorporate learning opportunities around the Commonwealth Games in the next academic year and this event is designed to help you join their number.

It will  showcase inspirational programmes and initiatives available to teachers to stimulate learning around the Commonwealth Games. A variety of engaging workshops delivered by practitioners and organisations experienced in Games Legacy work will provide practical, hands-on exemplification on the impact of the Games as a context for learning. Workshops will include:

• exemplification from primary and secondary schools,
• an outline of the latest curriculum developments in the areas of health and well-being, numeracy and literacy by Education Scotland,
• funding opportunities around food education in the context of the Games,
• international education and partnerships
• cluster and local authority initiatives.

For more information please see the programme:  Event_170613_Pre-EventInfo programme (draft)

 How to register:
We invite you to join us for an inspirational day of sharing and collaborative thinking around a variety of exciting opportunities by registering for the event on line (http://bit.ly/GOSEvent-17June ) or directly with Diane Carson: Diane.Carson@educationscotland.gov.uk

Art Competition kick starts Game On Scotland

 

The official education programme around the 2014 Commonwealth Games was launched at Kelvingrove Art Gallery yesterday providing a unique opportunity for Scottish pupils to join the challenge of creating 6500 pieces of art to decorate the bedrooms of athletes and officials from across the Commonwealth.

Using the Games and its 17 sports as creative inspiration, primary and secondary pupils will be challenged to come up with 6,500 pieces of artwork to decorate bedrooms in the Athletes’ Village where the athletes and officials from across the Commonwealth will be staying. 

 The winning designs will be gifted to the visitors as a memento of their time in Scotland, and athletes will be encouraged to send a note expressing their personal thanks back to the young artists. 

X-Men and Superman illustrator Frank Quitely joined pupils from Hillhead Primary  to urge schools to get involved and make their mark on the Games.   

Unveiling a giant frame containing the Hillhead pupils’ early designs, Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive David Grevemberg, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, Shona Robison, and Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages also added their artwork.   

Mrs Robison highlights the importance of young people being able to connect with the Games :

.

Game On Scotland will  provide many more  inspirational opportunities using the Commonwealth Games as an inspiring and fun context for learning across the curriculum.

With the website now live, teachers and educators across Scotland and throughout the Commonwealth can access a range of educational resources for learners of all stages including film and image banks, Games history, sport profiles and materials on the Commonwealth. 

Game On!