Food for Thought? Food Security in the new National Qualifications

One of the contexts for learning and teaching within the advice and guidance for the new National Qualifications is Food Security. This could provide a context for learning relevant within Biology, Environmental Science, or Science, and with approriate differentiation to meet the needs of learners, as a context for learning at National 3, National 4, National 5 and Higher.

How about using this image , published in The Independent newspaper on 17th April, to prompt discussion? Could a cupcake made of insects be part of our future to enable us to feed the world’s rising population? Researchers at the University of Wageningen in the The Netherlands believe so. More information can be found in the International Business Times article “Cupcakes made from Insects: Food for Thought?”

Learning for the new NQs: Personalised Medicine links to the new National Qualifications

The advice and guidance shortly to be published for the new National 5 Biology links to this very topical breakthrough in “personalised medicine”: tailoring treatments to the genetics of the disease.

Look out for the forthcoming publication on the Education Scotland website, and meantime find out more about an international study funded by Cancer Research UK in this BBC article “Breast cancer rules rewritten in ‘landmark’ study”.

STEM Central Sounds Inspiring, Sounds Amazing!

As we progress the development of our new context on STEM Central “Sound”, some ideas to link to your learning and teaching. The Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts, running from 23-28th April 2012, is showcasing the work of six diverse artists with an interest in sound, space and place. The works of the artists, audio based pieces responding to the Clyde’s tidal cycle will  be performed each day in public spaces in central Glasgow, and all will be performed on Saturday 28th in the circular, wood-panelled Trust Hall of Clydeport Authority Headquarters. Sounds inspiring? You can find out more on the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts website. What distinguishes music from noise? Why not view the Glow Science video “How do Musical Instruments work?” and explore this further?

And, it might sound like something from Dr Who but researchers at the University of Dundee have this week announced the invention of a “sonic screwdriver”, an ultrasonic device which has potential for developing new, more precise surgical techniques. Sounds amazing? More on this from the BBC. Unsure about ultrasound? Why not use the Glow Sciences videos Beyond the Range of Human Hearing, or Medical Marvels: Ultrasound for a bit of background?

STEM Central’s sound context will include learning journeys in sciences and technologies for early years, first, second and fourth level, incorporating work developed by the Engineering the Future project. The fourth level journey could be used to support your planning for learning and teaching for National 4 Physics.

SCCYP – The Launch of RIGHT now

This Glow Meet coming live from Tynewater Primary School in Midlothian will give everyone an opportunity to meet Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People as he launches RIGHT now – the new phase of his activity for this year.

Be the first to find out about the new resources coming from SCCYP and get your pupils ready to talk to Tam about what he will be doing in the coming year. You may already have the new booklet in your schools and if not look out for it!

Tam will tell them about:

· how he is promoting children and young people’s rights

· the role of Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner, how you can contact him and get involved in his work

· a wee taste of what over 12000 of Scotland’s 2 to 5 year olds chose to blether to Tam about this year

· what is happening now in response to the priorities for his work identified by 74 059 of Scotland’s children and young people through ‘a RIGHT blether’, his national consultation with you that ended last year.

So why not sign up and join us for this exciting new SCCYP activity on Monday 23rd April at 11am?
Sign up in Glow TV.