Tag Archives: Creativity

Advice and Guidance to support National Qualifications in Sciences

Yesterday, we published new advice and guidance associated with National 5 Biology associated with Inheritance.

There are a number of areas in this advice and guidance which would lend themselves to discussion in the classroom. What does this look like? What is the difference between learners talking, and discussing? Arguing and debating? What tools and approaches can be used to ensure learners are developing their skills in discussion, argumentation, and debate?

The teacher’s handbook from the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland may be of use in planning for learning and teaching for the senior phase. 2012 is the year of the ESU’s Speak up Scotland! Science Debating project. Within the easily digestible, practical teacher’s handbook are a range of techniques and approaches which can be used to structure debate within the science classroom, and include all learners within the class. It explains how to plan and structure a formal debate, if that is what you are looking for, including how to structure a speech, a format for judging the content and skills of the participants – useful for teacher observation or peer evaluation. Other approaches described include balloon and role play debates. Exemplification is given for role playdebates in bio-prospecting and badger culling.

The booklet also contains starters for debates such as:

“this house would ban research on embryonic stem cells” – ties in with the National 4/5 qualifications in Biology and our published advice and guidance on Health and Disease.

Each section includes “fast facts”, and suggested questions to ask – does an embryo have human rights? how do we know how old the universe is? how do we control nanoparticles in our environment; or artificial organisms we create?

All of this is also available on the project website where you can find out how schools are using the debates and the feedback from learners.

If your learners need support in building confidence to speak in front of others, why not look back to our Debating in Schools resources published in 2007 which include Building Speaking Confidence: Guidance for first-time speakers.

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

We’ve been keeping you up to date with this inquiry based science project since last December. Don’t forget that you can find out more by joining us at session N1A at SLF 2012, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor. A vodcast overview of the project can be found on the scienceedresearch channel on YouTube.

The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

The workshop will include an opportunity for delegates to have hands on experience of the six investigative tasks, using the kit provided to schools, funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will are also available via the ScienceEdResearch channel YouTube.

The individual vodcasts for each school:

Brae HighBlairgowrie; Coupar AngusInveralmond Community HighUrafirth; Westfield

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

STEM Central Games context and a festival of games in Dundee

If our recently published STEM Central Games context, celebrating Scotland’s position in this diverse and creative industry, has sparked your interest, an ideal opportunity to find out more this weekend at the three day computer games festival in Dundee. Running from today until Sunday 12th August, this event at Dundee’s Caird Hall provides an opportunity for visitors to try out some games, including those developed especially for the games.

Youth Music Initiative

Creative Scotland recently announced the launch of the Scottish Government’s £10million Youth Music Investment (YMI) programme for 2012/13.

The YMI programme intends to:

  • Create access to high quality music making opportunities for young people aged 0 – 25, particularly for those that would not normally have the chance to participate;
  • Enable young people to achieve their potential in or through music making;
  • Support the development of the youth music sector for the benefit of young people.

There are 3 investment programmes available for organisations and individuals to apply for investment:

1. School based music making (invited applications from Local Authorities);

2. Access to music making;

3. Strengthening youth music .

For all the information on the investment routes and for details on how to apply please visit here.

Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and Peace 2012

The Edinburgh Festival of Spirituality and Peace is now online and covers a wide range of exhibitions, conversations, workshops and performances. Please go to the the following link anfd have a look:

http://www.festivalofspirituality.org.uk/

Sound Context Goes Live on STEM Central

STEM Central makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allows learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.

We are delighted to annouce that our Sound Context for learning is live on STEM Central.

Sound is an important part of our lives and we are constantly surrounded by it. From talking in the classroom, to animal sounds in the forest, from listening to music to hearing a fire engine siren, different sounds can make us feel different emotions; they can trigger memories and remind of us of key events in our lives. It can also affect how we remember different events. Animals and humans use sound to communicate with each other in a variety of forms including song, voice, ultrasound, and the telephone. Sound can be about survival and can warn us of danger but it can also be used for relaxation and entertainment through the medium of music.

The learning journeys with a Sciences and Technologies focus within early and first levels will give learners the opportunity to investigate a variety of sound making materials. They will recognise and produce different sounds through constructive play, design and construct their own instruments and create and record sounds. There will also be second and fourth level learning journeys coming soon.

Click here to visit the new Sound Context on STEM Central.

Games Context on STEM Central

STEM Central makes connections between sciences, technologies and mathematics through the context of engineering allows learners to broaden their understanding of the applications of concepts and skills developed in curriculum subjects. It allows learners to develop solutions to problems and demonstrate creativity through inquiry.

We are delighted to annouce that our Games Context for learning is live on STEM Central.

The games industry in Scotland is thriving. Providing jobs for skilled professionals of all nationalities, games companies are at the forefront of Scotland’s electronic technologies and software industry. Games have been used throughout the ages to teach, entertain and amuse. In some respects games have changed over time with changes in technologies, tools and materials, yet in other ways simple games that resemble those from past societies are still played.

In the Games Development Second Level Learning Journey learners are offered stimulating experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding not only of the history of gaming in Scotland, but will also encourage them to explore technological developments in society, and ultimately how to design, create and market their own game.

The Electrifying Games Second Level Learning Journey offers a range of opportunities for learners enquiry based learning and to develop and apply knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to circuits and components, and to engineering of a 3D game which demonstrates energy transfer and movement.

Click here to visit the new Games Context on STEM Central.

Today is….the longest day, so get out and play!

Here are some links to fabulous resources to help you explore the outdoors, even if it is raining!

International Mud Day:
http://www.muddyfaces.co.uk/

Play Scotland’s site with lots of play ideas:
http://www.playscotland.org/playday

15 ideas for play outdoors (and more mud!)
http://www.playscotland.org/assets/GET-OUT-AND-PLAY.pdf

Early Years Glow Meet on ‘Play on the Longest Day’

Have fun!

Early Years Team

Wise up Wednesday: Our latest Glow Meet

 

Thank you to Alastair Seaman and Julie Buchanan from Grounds for Learning for taking time out of their busy schedule to join us for our Glow Meet, Play on the Longest Day on Monday. Also a big thank you to those of you who tuned in on the day. If you missed the live event the good news is that you can ‘watch again’!

Our new video featuring Julie and her excellent work at Shotts Nursery Centre as well as the  PowerPoint from the day and some useful links are now on the ‘share’ section of the Early Years CPDCentral site.

If you are not a member of our Early Years CPDCentral site, visit the site and ‘add’ your details it is really easy and quick.

Thank you

The Early Years Team

Click here to see details about the Glow Meet.

STEM Central: Have you heard about our new Sound context?

By the time the new school year starts in August, you’ll find our newest STEM Central context “Sound” available!

Helping practitioners to understanding learning around the science of sound as it progresses through early to fourth level, these learning journeys incorporate sciences and technologies, with everything from listening walks to the X-factor! So if you’re looking for materials to inspire you, or help you to understand the levels and progression within the broad general education (BGE) check back here, or on the STEM Central website for publication info.

Don’t forget that the Glow Science videos and fantastic mind map tool can provide inspiration and CPD.

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

We’ve been keeping you up to date with this inquiry based science project since last December and we are delighted to confirm that you can find out more by joining us at session N1A at SLF 2012, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor.

The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

The workshop will include an opportunity for delegates to have hands on experience of the six investigative tasks, using the kit provided to schools, funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will also be available via YouTube after the session for delegates to follow up.

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

An exciting Glow meet…Play on the Longest Day !

 Parents and children explore outdoor play  

Monday 18th June, 3.30pm – 4.00pmIn the lead up to Play on the Longest Day on the 21 June 2012, a celebration of play, we will be thinking and talking about practical ideas and activities for outdoor play. We will also be sharing the outdoor play initiative developed at Shotts Nursery Centre, North Lanarkshire in partnership with Grounds for Learning.

The Meet will consist of a panel discussion and panel members will include Julie Buchanan and Alistair Seaman from Grounds for Learning. Film footage taken of the development at Shotts Nursery Centre will be aired during the Glow Meet and discussion time will focus on how parents were actively involved in the initiative. Alistair will also give a flavour of some of the other projects Grounds for Learning are currently taking forward.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions and share ideas. Please tune in to be inspired and get ready to Play on the Longest Day!

Hope to see you there. Click here to sign up.

 

Sharing learning and teaching ideas for early to second level

Participating in in-service today provided an opportunity to talk with practitioners around learning and teaching in science and share some of the ways in which Education  Scotland can provide support. Issues explored included assessment and moderation, a shared understanding of standards, progression, meeting the needs of learners, transitions, using effective partnerships and keeping the curriculum alive and relevant to inspire young learners.

The following were used to exemplify support for practitioners:

STEM Central

Weather and Climate Change

Exploring Climate Change

Marks on the Landscape

Glow TV

Education Scotland Learning blog – sharing by the Development Officers in Education Scotland

STEM Central in Motion blog – sharing by practitioners and partners

Food for Thought leaflet and poster – we will shortly be developing the new Food Security context for STEM Central

STEM Central Learning Journeys from the Sound context, early years and first level due for publication later this month, and the draft second level journeys due for publication within the next few months

Journey to Excellence

NAR (National Assessment Resource)

and

Glow Science

Practitioners shared resources they also find useful such as Planet Science , I’m a Scientist, get me out of here and I’m an Engineer, get me out of here.

STEM Central Sounds Amazing!

We are progressing the development of our new contexxt on STEM Central “Sound”. Early years and first level learning journeys will be published within the next few weeks. Something to think about in preparation: what distinguishes music from noise? Why not view the Glow Science video “How do Musical Instruments work?” and explore this further? 

The Sound context will continue to be developed to incorporate second and fourth level journeys. We’ll be bringing you vodcasts on bats, robots and echolocation and sharing the experiences of learners at Balfron Primary School, when they worked with the Engineering the Future project.  The fourth level journey could be used to support your planning for learning and teaching for National 4 Physics.

And, it might sound like something from Dr Who but researchers at the University of Dundee have recently 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 Electric Transport and a context for learning for the new NQs

Many thanks to our Engineering the Future colleagues for highlighting this link which could be used to enrich learning around the STEM Central electric transport context. In Meet the Inventor of the World’s Fastest Electric Motorcycle Michael Czysz talks about making his dream a reality, and what it feels like to travel at 200 mph on a motorbike hearing only the sound of the air.

Thinking about sustainable transport as a context for learning for the new NQs? Along with the world’s fastest electric motorcycle, what about freight ships towed by massive kites to reduce fuel demand? Scope for creative design and practical investigative work with learners in sciences and technologies?

For more on electric transport see  our 13th May blog post STEM Central Electric Transport, the smater Smart car and a context for learning for the new NQs.

Learning for the new NQs: Speak up Scotland! A Year of Science Debating

Within our recently published advice and guidance associated with the new NQs in science, there are a number of areas which would lend themselves to discussion in the classroom. What does this look like? What is the difference between learners talking, and discussing? Arguing and debating? What tools and approaches can be used to ensure learners are developing their skills in discussion, argumentation, and debate?

A teacher’s handbook from the English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland came across my desk this week. 2012 is  the year of the ESU’s Speak up Scotland! Science Debating project. Within this easily digestible, practical handbook are a range of techniques and approaches which can be used to structure debate within the science classroom, and include all learners within the class. It explains how to plan and structure a formal debate, if that is what you are looking for, including how to structure a speech, a format for judging the content and skills of the participants – useful for teacher observation or peer evaluation. Other approaches described include balloon and role play debates. Exemplification is given for role playdebates in bio-prospecting and badger culling.

The booklet also contains starters for debates such as:

 ”this house believes the government should fund research on planet earth rather than the cosmos” – ties in with the new National 4/5 qualifications in Physics

“this house would give up non essential flying to help curb dangerous climate change” – ties in with the sustainability elements across a number of the new NQs including Environmental Science

“this house would ban research on embryonic stem cells” – ties in with the National 4/5 qualifications in Biology and our published advice and guidance on Health and Disease.

Each section includes “fast facts”, and suggested questions to ask – does an embryo have human rights? how do we know how old the universe is? how do we control nanoparticles in our environment; or artificial organisms we create?

All of this is also available on the project website where you can  find out how schools are using the debates and the feedback from learners.

If your learners need support in building confidence to speak in front of others, why not look back to our Debating in Schools resources published in 2007 which include Building Speaking Confidence: Guidance for first-time speakers.

Learning about Scotland in the Early Years

Saturday was a very inspirational day for the Early Years team at Education Scotland. Our Saturday Conference, Learning about Scotland in the Early Years was a great success. There was singing, poetry writing and even a competition!

 

If you would like to follow up on any interesting discussions from the day or revisit and reflect on the presentations then visit our Early Years CPD community. The presentations are within the Early Years Saturday Conference mini CPD site.

If you have not joined our community yet, then please do. We had a queue of enthusiastic delegates who couldn’t wait to join on Saturday and you can meet them (virtually!) when you do.

Well done to Sharon from South Lanarkshire who won the well deserved prize of two Scots books to share with her establishment.

Thank you

The Early Years Team

Learning for the new NQs in Sciences

Have you had an opportunity to explore the advice and guidance published to support practitioners in planning for learning and teaching for the new National Qualifications? Education Scotland has published a suite of advice and guidance exemplifying skills, teaching approaches, challenge, the use of context and incorporation of literacy, numeracy and ICT in learning and teaching in sciences.

The published advice and guidance is intended for use by practitioners and is non-mandatory. It is intended that practitioners will use it in a reflective and selective manner.

Throughout, reflective questions for learners are provided to aid practitioners in planning learning and teaching to meet the needs of learners. In many cases, investigative work and inquiry-based practical learning will supplement the learning and teaching described.

Creativity and You! Embedding Creativity Across Learning – National Event

25 May, Glasgow Science Centre, 10 am – 3.30 pm

#creativityandyou

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/newsandevents/events/2012/eventgeneral_tcm4720739.asp

This national event, organised by The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and Creative Scotland, will showcase innovation across teaching and learning in a range of subjects beyond the expressive arts.

It will highlight just how imaginatively schools and teachers are already embedding creativity into their daily work, often in partnership with external organisations.

Teachers and senior managers in schools and the education sector will be able to draw on a range of good practice in promoting creative learning and improving learners’ creative skills within all subjects.

The day is designed to:

  • Explore what is meant by ‘Creativity skills for learning, life and work’.
  • Experience new and exciting approaches to motivating children to learn.
  • Discover different approaches taken to working with professionals and partners in delivering creative learning experiences.
  • Find out about the many resources and networks available to support creative teaching and learning.

To book a place, please contact Elisabeth.zelger@creativescotland.com with your name, title, contact details and local authority and any special requirements.

STEM Central and The James Hutton Institute Water Works

An update on The James Hutton Institute’s Water Works competition with the announcement of the April winner.

The April winner is Aimee Holton, aged 16, from Banchory Academy with her picture “Droplets”. Aimee says “You don’t realise how precious water is until you see things like the hosepipe ban in England. It makes us appreciate every last droplet even more”.

This exciting competition could be used in many contexts, including  to enrich the STEM Central water context. Details of the competition can be found on this blog, or in the competition details. Closing date is the 22nd of each month.

Wise up Wednesday – Learning about Scotland in the Early Years

Last chance to sign up for our next Saturday Conference!

Early Years Saturday Conference

Learning about Scotland in the Early Years

Saturday 19 May, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

The study of Scotland is right at the heart of Curriculum for Excellence. This conference will provide an opportunity to develop practitioners’ understanding of a renewed emphasis on learning about Scotland and how we can enrich the learning experience for our youngest children.

Keynote speakers

  • Liz Niven – Liz is an award-winning poet who writes in English and Scots.
  • Juliet Robertson – Juliet is one of Scotland’s leading education consultants, specialising in learning and play outdoors.
  • Dr Donald Smith – Donald is the Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, as well as a novelist, poet, playwright and storyteller.

Vist here to find out more.

If you are already attending why not join our Early Years Saturday Conference community and meet other attendees before the event?

Visit  www.bit.ly/earlysat and make a pledge today!

The Early Years Team

Food Revolution Day! Saturday 19th May

JOIN THE CONVERSATION AND HELP 
  CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE EAT

Together we can change the way people eat by educating every child about food, giving families the skills and knowledge to cook again, and motivating people to stand up for their rights to better food. Add your voice to the conversation with your best cooking and food education tip, favorite ingredient, or tell us why you support the Food Revolution and what actions you are taking.

www.foodrevolutionday.com/ 

Click here to access a helpful PDF on 30 ideas to start a Food Revolution.

STEM Central and The James Hutton Institute’s Water Works

Earlier this year, we blogged about this exciting opportunity which can be used in many contexts, including to enrich the STEM Central water context.

A trickling burn, a flooded street, a horse’s trough or a grand Scottish loch – no matter what comes to mind when you think of water the Water Works competition wants your photographs. The James Hutton Institute has now announced the March winner of the competition,  John Smith, Age 8, from Orkney. His picture, shown above, is called “The Flood at the Pumping Station” and shows his local pumping station at North Stronsay, flooded due to the nearby loch overflowing.

The James Hutton Institute’s Facebook page has more information on the March entries and how you can take part in May’s competition.

Need some more inspiration on water? 

Whether you are working with the STEM Central Flood Management learning journeys in the context of social sciences, technologies or maths, or planning learning and teaching around themes of sustainability for new National Qualifications, this article published in The Telegraph, by James Dyson “Engineering can save us from drought” might provide information or inspiration. Perhaps you could use this year’s Dyson Challenge as a basis for learning, maybe your learners hold the key to saving water for a more sustainable future?

If your learners are considering the current drought and flood situation in large parts of England, why not use it as an opportunity to explore the role of engineers in sustainability? We would love to hear your ideas on our STEM Central in Motion blog.

Or try using the mindmap tool in Glow Science to kickstart thinking for you or your learners.

The James Hutton Institute via the Centre of Expertise for Waters  are running a year long competition aimed at raising awareness of water and water-related issues across both primary and secondary ages. The competition, with monthly prizes, aims to encourage learners to think about the natural environment and make the link between CfE curriculum areas Sciences, Technologies and Expressive Arts. The competition page gives background on the competition and entry instructions.

Wise up Wednesday – This Sucks!

Hello everyone!

Thank you for logging in for your Weekly Wednesday Wise Up! This week we are really excited to highlight the fantastic work created by Glasgow Film Theatre, Starcatchers, Platform and Toad’s Caravan. One of our team attended the premier at the Galsgow Film Theatre last week and had a great time! Lovely to see the stars of the show in their glamorous clothes on the red carpet!

This film presents a fantastic example of partnership working in the early years. What a great way to use the expertise of others to enhance children’s experiences.

As you watch you may get ideas for new experiences in your establishment. Your children will really enjoy this film, why not show it to them at story time?

Thank you and Enjoy the film!

The Early Years Team 🙂

THIS SUCKS: THE MOVIE!

Glasgow Film Theatre, Starcatchers, Platform and Toad’s Caravan have joined forces to produce This Sucks: The Movie, starring a talented cast of hundreds of nursery children from across Glasgow.

This Sucks: The Movie is a short film made by and starring children four-years-old and under from nurseries around the East-End of Glasgow. The film tells the story of Hetty the Hoover and the love of her life — Mike Dust.

The concept grew from a previous, highly successful Starcatchers project, This Workshop Sucks, which premiered at the Glasgow Youth Film Festival, a fun interactive workshop, telling the same story to pre-school children combining theatre, art and moving image.

Over two weeks in February 2012, hundreds of children from Glasgow nurseries participated in making the film with directors Matt Addicott and Katy Wilson from Starcatchers and the support of Toad’s Caravan.

This Sucks: The Movie! was made possible by Glasgow City Council’s Area Committee Grants.

CREDITS

CAST

Hetty the Hoover
Mike Dust
The Man and his family
The Doctor and Nurses
The Dancers

STARRING CHILDREN FROM:

Barlanark Family Learning Centre
Helenslea Nursery School
Hullabaloo Children Centre
Sandaig Nursery School
Westercraigs Nursery

STORY

Matt Addicott
Katy Wilson

NARRATION

Matt Addicott

FILM PRODUCED BY

Toad’s Caravan

DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY

Joanna Susskind
Marissa Keating

ANIMATION

Joanna Susskind
Bruce Cameron

FILMING

Brian Sweeney

MUSIC

Stuart Brown

PROJECT MANAGER

Paul Macgregor

Thanks to Numatic, James Dean and Rhona Matheson

© Glasgow Film Theatre / Starcatchers / Platform / Toad’s Caravan

For more info on Glasgow Film, visit http://www.glasgowfilm.org

For more info on Starcatchers, visit http://www.starcatchers.org.uk/

For more on Platform, visit http://www.platform-online.co.uk/

For more on Toad’s Caravan, visit http://www.toadscaravan.com/

STEM Central Water water everywhere…engineering solutions needed!

Whether you are working with the STEM Central Flood Management learning journeys in the context of social sciences, technologies or maths, or planning learning and teaching around themes of sustainability for new National Qualifications, this article published in The Telegraph, by James Dyson “Engineering can save us from drought” might provide information or inspiration. Perhaps you could use this year’s Dyson Challenge as a basis for learning, maybe your learners hold the key to saving water for a more sustainable future?

If your learners are considering the current drought and flood situation in large parts of England, why not use it as an opportunity to explore the role of engineers in sustainability? We would love to hear your ideas on our STEM Central in Motion blog.

ScranMeet 1 featuring Jackie Sangster

ScranMeet 1 – An introduction to interdisciplinary learning images, Thursday 3 May, 3.45 pm, http://bit.ly/scranmeet1

Join us in CPD Central for our inaugural ScranMeet to find out how you can acquire imagery and information from the Scran website. Discover diverse content and resources both local and global, to illuminate CfE projects right across the curriculum. The Scran Meet will consist of an introductory presentation by education officer and former teacher, Jackie Sangster followed by some Q&A.

Youth Scotland launches new national leadership opportunity for young women

On Friday 6th April, Youth Scotland’s Girls on the Move programme launched the first national Sports Leaders UK Level 2 Award in Dance Leadership course.  This new course has been established by Youth Scotland, the network of youth clubs and groups, in partnership with Sports Leaders UK. Part of Youth Scotland’s Girls on the Move programme, the Level 2 course provides a progression route for young female leaders to develop their skills as community practitioners.

17 young women, aged between 16 and 22 took part in the first course at Kilgraston School in Perth. They came from areas across Scotland including: Alness, Edinburgh, Fort William, Inverness, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Nairn, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and South Ayrshire. Throughout the course participants received training in working with groups, leading sessions and choreography. Following the course, the young women will be supported by local dance and youth organisations to undertake voluntary placements in their own communities.

Addressing the barriers that prevent young women from participating in physical activity, Girls on the Move provides support to young women in communities across Scotland, particularly those from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.   For more opportunities for young leaders, including details of forthcoming Level 2 opportunities, visit the Youth Scotland website or contact Rebecca Simpson, Youth Active Manager, at rebecca.simpson@youthscotland.org.uk

We are Giant Panda Scientists

Robert Wiseman Dairies is supporting the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in promoting education about Scotland’s famous visitors, the giant pandas Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine).  Robert Wiseman Dairies is featuring the pandas on school milk cartons together with lots of “panda facts”.  This Black and White partnership has been created for children to discover both the benefits of drinking milk and the importance of the giant panda.  Teachers can download a free teachers’ lesson plan worksheet linked to CfE.                                                                                                             

Click here to download a PDF leaflet about the pandas. wisemandairies.co.uk/panda

Take One Action Film Festival

Are you aged between 15 and 21 years? Interested in great films that make a difference in the world? Would you like to organise inspiring film screening events in your local community? If so, here is your chance to take action!

Take One Action – Scotland’s global action cinema project – is organising it’s second Young Action Heroes Project for young people and their educators/youth workers at the Macrobert Centre in Stirling in late August 2012. We are keen to hear from schools and youth groups who want to take part in the residential and then screen a film to inspire action in others!

Application information is available to download from www.takeoneaction.org.uk/youth 

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY 25TH MAY, but if you have questions before then email youth@takeoneaction.org.uk or phone Andy at 0131 5536335.

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.

Schools and the Traverse Theatre

Building relationships for the future – A Discussion Event for Teachers.
Glow TV is delighted to be returning to the Traverse Theatre once again on Monday 23rd April at 4.30pm.

Join Artistic Director (and former Drama Teacher) Orla O’Loughlin and Head of Traverse Learning Noëlle O’Donoghue, as they highlight how the Traverse Theatre can support schools to deliver the new curriculum and how we hope to engage with you and your pupils during our 50th anniversary in 2013.

The session will feature an informal Q & A so come armed with your questions!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Live from the Traverse Theatre: Write Here – Open View

The Artist Man and the Mother Woman by Morna Pearson
Director Roisin McBrinn

Join us on GlowTV, Thursday 19th April 2012 @ 16:00h

Forty-three year old art teacher Geoffrey still lives with his mother. He decides it’s about time he got his first girlfriend.

Come and see a Traverse Rehearsal in action!

When the Traverse commissions a writer, we work closely with them to develop the best version of the play they want to write.

Open View is your opportunity to observe this normally very private process, and see script development as it happens, at the source.

Sign up and join us for this Glow TV first! Find out more here

National challenge: Design a billboard for Scotland

Education Scotland has launched a national challenge for learners to design a double-sided billboard to be seen by people entering and leaving Scotland.

The challenge is aimed at those working within second, third and fourth curriculum levels.

The challenge can be incorporated into planning for a number of curriculum areas including art and design, social studies, religious and moral education, technologies and sciences, and the themes of sustainability and global citizenship.

To find out more about the challenge click here.

Literacy across Learning (Un)conference

 

The Literacy across Learning (Un)conference will be held at Stirling Management Centre on 25th May. This free event will build a community of educators who want to develop 21st century learning and literacy skills. Come prepared to share experiences, practice and resources and to contribute to the learning. More information and sign up details below.

Literacy Event Flyer

Learning connections with game based learning

Nintendogs game for the Nintendo DS, has been used to create a rich, dynamic and inclusive educational context for learners as part of a game-based learning initiative run by Learning and Teaching Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.

The initiative looks at how the challenging, demanding and appealing world of Nintendogs can help support effective teaching and learning in Curriculum for Excellence.

The initiative provided content for learning in a P2 class. The teachers involved in the initial project and subsequent teachers that have used Nintendogs, made the game the central focus for projects that created connections across learning.

Caring for and nurturing your virtual pet was central to this game. Teachers created purposeful and relevant activities that involved learning in Art & Design. The videos showcase in more detail accounts of what the teachers and the children did and how the game impacted on their learning.

To read this case study click here.

Wanted! Creative teachers and CLD staff

Are you creative in the classroom? Do you empower creativity in your young people?
Education Scotland is looking for teachers and CLD staff who use creativity in their work to speak up and share their creative learning and teaching approaches with the rest of Scotland through a series of very short online film clips.

Creativity in its purest sense involves generating original ideas that have value and crosses ALL areas of the curriculum (not just the arts) and we are looking for examples from subjects as diverse as PE, Languages and Maths. It could be the young people learning creative skills or an approach to lesson planning that is particularly creative. What creativity might involve can be found here: http://glo.li/xGyO32

Here are the questions we would like to put to you:

• What is creativity (to you)?

• Why be creative in your teaching?

• What happens when the young learners are engaged in a creative activity?

• What did you and your young learners do that was creative?
You might explain an example of what creativity looks like in your classroom or group.
You might detail day-to-day creative approaches or else explain a specific project, topic or development.
How did this specifically benefit you and the young people?

You will be filmed by a professional film company (they really put you at your ease) who will come to you, fit around your timetable, and the whole process of setting up and filming will take less than half an hour. Ultimately we are capturing just 3 minutes of glorious quality footage from you that will be shared through the Creativity Portal. This is a great opportunity to showcase your creativity to a national audience.

The filming will be arranged to suit you some time in the next three weeks.

It takes moments to offer your experience or suggest a colleague who you think would fit the bill:
Go to: http://glo.li/z0Mi3s
Email: Stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk
Phone: 0141 282 5194

SLF 2012 Call for Participation Now Open

The Scottish Learning Festival 2012 will take place on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 September in the SECC, Glasgow. The theme for SLF 2012 is Creative Learning…. Creative Thinking.

The Scottish Learning Festival 2012 will offer practitioners opportunities to learn more about the importance of creative skills for themselves and for their learners. SLF 2012 will enable practitioners to develop skills and expertise to support creative learning and teaching across the curriculum through sharing information, highlighting innovation and showcasing best practice. SLF 2012 also provides continuing professional learning opportunities in line with recommendations set out in Teaching Scotland’s Future.

The Call for Participation is now open and full details of the theme along with an online submission form are available on the SLF website.

Are you aware of establishments that demonstrate good practice or maybe there is a project that you have been working on internally or with partners that could be showcased. We would encourage you to share this information with your networks and submit proposals for consideration.

There is a robust review, evaluation and scoring system in place to help ensure all submissions are treated equally and therefore it is essential that all requests to participate, whether internal or external, go through the submission process and adhere to the timescales provided. To ensure that your area of work is represented in the conference programme, please complete and submit the Call for Participation form for consideration.

Last year we received in excess of 350 submissions which allowed Education Scotland to deliver a relevant and balanced conference programme covering all key areas of education. The 2012 programme will be launched at the end of May and will feature those sessions that have been submitted and selected by the review panel.

There is a robust review, evaluation and scoring system in place to help ensure all submissions are treated equally and therefore it is essential that all requests to participate, whether internal or external, go through the submission process and adhere to the timescales provided. To ensure that your area of work is represented in the conference programme, please complete and submit the Call for Participation form for consideration.

Last year we received in excess of 350 submissions which allowed Education Scotland to deliver a relevant and balanced conference programme covering all key areas of education. The 2012 programme will be launched at the end of May and will feature those sessions that have been submitted and selected by the review panel.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday 30 March 2012, submissions received after this date cannot be considered for inclusion in the conference programme.

We look forward to receiving submissions and hope you will contribute to SLF 2012 to help continue to deliver Scotland’s largest annual national education conference and exhibition. If you would like to further discuss any aspects of SLF 2012 please contact Elaine Docherty.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday 30 March 2012, submissions received after this date cannot be considered for inclusion in the conference programme.

We look forward to receiving submissions and hope you will contribute to SLF 2012 to help continue to deliver Scotland’s largest annual national education conference and exhibition. If you would like to further discuss any aspects of SLF 2012 please contact Elaine Docherty.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday 30 March 2012, submissions received after this date cannot be considered for inclusion in the conference programme.

We look forward to receiving submissions and hope you will contribute to SLF 2012 to help continue to deliver Scotland’s largest annual national education conference and exhibition. If you would like to further discuss any aspects of SLF 2012 please contact Elaine Docherty.

Transform Toolkit

Education Scotland has published a new online resource,
Transform Toolkit. The toolkit has been created by National Theatre of Scotland and Education Scotland to give every school and community the chance to create their own transformative experience.

Transform is an initiative which gives opportunities to schools and communities to work collaboratively on a large-scale creative project and allows participants to engage with and learn from artists from a range of creative industries.

Transform can be carried out by using the range of suggested tasks provided in the toolkit and/or with CPD support from National Theatre of Scotland. You can use the toolkit as a guide and it is designed to allow you to pick and choose the appropriate activities for the participants.

Big Dance 2012

Call for Participants

Big Dance 2012 is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of dance, with events taking part around the UK. As part of the Scottish Government’s policy to ‘Get Scotland Dancing’, Dance Base has received investment from Creative Scotland to produce a celebration of dance.

On Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2012, Dance Base is inviting every dance group, school and society to perform, teach or demonstrate in themed stages/areas throughout Edinburgh city centre. At night they will show an outdoor dance-along movie and a fringe programme of dance in bars and clubs, bringing people into the city to celebrate dance.

Dance Base is co-ordinating celebrations for the Edinburgh region and hopes to work with as many partners as possible to make the Big Dance celebration a high profile event attracting thousands.

Information on Big Dance 2012 can be found here.

If you are a group who would like to be involved register your interest with Dance Base by 29 February 2012. Over the next few months Dance Base will also be looking for individuals who want to volunteer in the run up to and during the event weekend.

Water Works

Looking for a new idea to enrich the STEM Central water context?

A trickling burn, a flooded street, a horse’s trough or a grand Scottish loch – no matter what comes to mind when you think of water the Water Works competition wants your photographs.

The James Hutton Institute via the Centre of Expertise for Waters  are running a year long competition aimed at raising awareness of water and water-related issues across both primary and secondary ages. The competition, with monthly prizes, aims to encourage learners to think about the natural environment and make the link between CfE curriculum areas Sciences, Technologies and Expressive Arts. The competition page gives background on the competition and entry instructions.

Health and Wellbeing Showcase, Thursday 9th February, Aberdeen

The Health and wellbeing team welcomed over sixty practitioners to our Showcase event. 

We had a packed day celebrating good practice across the health and wellbeing organisers. There was a marketplace where many of our partners were available to discuss how they can support schools, these included Active Schools, British Heart Foundation, The Red Cross, Organ Donation, Sustrans, Health Working Lives and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.  

Alison Hammerton from Outdoor Learning enthused with ideas that stimulated how schools can deliver health and wellbeing by taking the curriculum outside. Click here to go the Outdoor Learning Blog for updates.

We finished the day with a keynote speech from Craig Brown, former Head Teacher and current Manager of Aberdeen Football Club.  He shared some tales of football fun whilst integrating the key messages of health and wellbeing and gave us all a laugh too.

We hope our delegates gain a lot from the day and would encourage them to sign up to our HWB Community where we will share the presentations from the day and partner contact information. Click here to sign up to the community.

Also don’t forget to join Education Scotland on Facebook and Twitter.

Entrepreneurship in Enterprise

On Wednesday (08/02/12) I had the opportunity to visit Lauren Hay a Business Education teacher from Kincorth Academy in Aberdeen. She described to me their Enterprise Project with the Wood Family Trust. This programme focused on the entrepreneurship aspect of enterprise and intergrated entrepreneurship across the curriculum.

To find out more about my visit, view the video of Lauren on the Chalkface Blog.

Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

Developing global citizens through sciences, social studies and technologies

Interdisciplinary learning for a low carbon and zero waste future

CDP event for practitioners in secondary schools

Menzies Hotel, Washington Street, Glasgow G3 8AZ

9:30am to 3:30pm, Friday 30st March 2012

Target audience: Practitioners, Principal Teachers and Faculty Heads of Technologies (e.g. CDT, Food and Textiles, Business and Enterprise), Sciences and Social Studies. Also local authority coordinators and QIOs.

Aim of the event:

This CPD event provides an exciting opportunity for secondary school practitioners to discover how cradle to cradle technologies and a circular economy can be used as a rich and stimulating context for interdisciplinary learning relating to sustainable development education and global citizenship within Curriculum for Excellence.

The Scottish Government is committed to a low-carbon and zero-waste economy, and the development of enterprise, creativity, STEM (Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Maths) and higher order thinking skills in young people are essential if we are to realise these ambitious plans for the future. The circular economy concept proposes the use of sustainable technologies, innovative design and production methods and systems thinking to minimise waste and reduce the exploitation of the Earth’s precious resources. This event will draw on practical and exciting developments within industry which are set to transform the way our economy operates in the decades ahead.

Education Scotland is working in partnership with The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the University of Edinburgh to develop strategies for professional development around sustainable development education and the circular economy to encourage the setting up of communities of practice among practitioners in Scotland. These will provide opportunities for ongoing, localised support and collaboration.

To find out more about the circular economy visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCRKvDyyHmI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download CPD event flyer and programme >>

Hand of the Future

Last night I was lucky enough to win tickets to the Tells They Tell presentation at the 26 Treasures Exhibition at the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh.

For this exhibition, the museum selected 26 objects from their Scotland galleries, which together trace Scotland’s history from its ancient geological roots to its technological future. Some are iconic, others less well-known, but all have a story to tell. The 26 writers from poets and novelists to screenwriters, journalists and academics. The writers were paired up with objects at random, and set the intriguing challenge of responding to their object in exactly 62 words.

Object number 26 was a Bionic Hand which relates to our up and coming STEM Context of Bioengineering. (Watch this space for more information on this context being released).

To read the poem Hand of the Future click here.

Remember to visit STEM Central in Motion to find out how practitioners are using STEM in the classroom.

Panda Competition Winners Announced!

Dual post from the Glow Scotland Blog.

Firstly, we would like to thank all schools who took part in our Panda leaflet competition. We were overwhelmed by the response we received, both in the sheer number of entries (which is why it has taken us so long to judge!) and in the standard of those entries.

We took into account how well the entries had met the competition’s requirements (a leaflet giving information about visiting them at the zoo) and the standard of information provided, as well as the overall design quality.

We really were most impressed with the entries and only wish we had more prizes to give out. Congratulations to everyone involved. We have also been very impressed with the number of comments on the blog and just how much interest has been shown in the topic. It clearly shows that pupils have been as excited about the arrival of Tian Tian and Yang Guang as we have. Well done! And Happy Chinese New Year to you all as well!

And now for the big news. Here are the winners:

Name Class School Prize
Ellis Stables P3 Kirkcowan Primary 1st– Panda and GTV T-shirt
Rory Crombie P6b St Joseph’s Primary 2nd– Panda and GTV T-shirt
Liam Eccleston P5 Caerlaverock School 3rd – Panda hat and GTV T-shirt
Ashley Leggat P4 Drumblade Primary 1st runner-up
Faye Jackson P7 Caerlaverock School 1st runner-up
Carine Bissett P6 Caerlaverock School 1st runner-up
Morgan Murray + Emma Barclay      P5 Goldenhill Primary 1st runner-up
Greig Sinclair   St Joseph’s Primary Runner-up
Dylan Bell Drummond   St Joseph’s Primary Runner-up
Eilidh Skinner   Whitdale Primary Runner-up
Amy Begbie   Whitdale Primary Runner-up
Ryan Conroy P5 St Joseph’s Primary Runner-up
Aoife Mclaughlin P6 St Joseph’s Primary Runner-up
Abbie Ribbens P4 Kirkcowan Runner-up
Amy Smith P3 Kirkcowan Runner-up
Archie Mortiboy P4 Kirkcowan Runner-up
Jy Guthrie P4 Barrshare Primary Runner-up
Zak Service P3 Kirkcowan Runner-up
Freya Coyle   Balbardie Primary Runner-up
       

*Please allow until next week to receive prizes. We will try to post some more of the entries here as time allows, but here is the winning entry, submitted by Ellis Stables of Kirkcowan Primary School. Ellis will receive the larger of the two pandas we picked up as well as a Glow TV T shirt and some sweeties. Well done, Ellis! We picked your entry because it was very informative, with just the kind of information we were looking for. We also choose Ellis as the overall winner because of the fact that it was a P3 entry and of such a high standard.

Rory PandasThe second prize goes to Rory Crombie from P6b at St Joseph’s Primary. Rory’s entry can be viewed by clicking the link here. Very high standard from Rory, with lots of information and quite a high degree of IT skills in preparing his document. Great work!

Runners up will receive a Glow TV T shirt from us and 1st runners up will receive a Glow TV T shirt as well as a small panda gift from the Edinburgh zoo gift shop.

Digitalising Burns Poetry

Today I had the pleasure of visiting Wellwood Primary School in Fife. The pupils were looking at Burns’ Poetry in a range of ways to develop their ICT skills. First of all the pupils researched Burns’ poetry and selected a poem they wanted to read. They read their poems to a talk partner, ensuring they followed the Success Criteria that they had set them themselves. Pupils used the software Audacity to record their poem and then used their creative skills to create an avatar using Voki. The Voki was then added to their individual blogs.

To find out about other Burns activities visit our resource calendar.

Click here to find out about Burns Day on Glow on 25/01/11 at 9:45 am.

Pasta Geometry

Pasta + mathematical equations = food as a context for interdisciplinary learning?

“With over two hundred elaborate diagrams and photographs, as well as a few words on regional provence and cusine,” writes George L. Legendre in “Pasta by Design,”  the book “offers a surreal interpretation of the everyday experience of making and eating pasta.  “Here is a selection of photographs, mathematical equations and descriptions of unusual pasta shapes from the book.

See them in action by following this link.

Living Streets Competition

Walk Once a Week – WOW – Badge Design Competition

2012’s WoW badge design competition is here, and we’re delighted to confirm that the theme is ‘AROUND THE WORLD‘. We are inviting schools to get their pupils’ creativity flowing and design what could be one of the official WoW badges for 2012/13.

Each winner will have his or her design transformed into the monthly WoW badges worn by hundreds of thousands of children across the country, and will be invited to an awards ceremony and fun day out in London in May 2012.

Our annual WoW badge design competition is one of the UK’s biggest art competitions, with over 150,000 primary school children taking part to design badges for a specific theme. Each participant school is invited to submit three entries for consideration. In 2011 our judging panel viewed over 1,800 fantastic entries on a Sport theme; our biggest competition yet! The deadline for receiving entries will be 16 March. 

www.livingstreets.org.uk

Vox Motus Theatre Company Event

This exciting event will be hosted by the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh on Thursday 26th January at 6pm.

Join us for an exclusive Glow Meet with Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison, the Artistic Directors of Glasgow-based theatre company Vox Motus, who are behind the Lyceum’s show The Infamous Brothers Davenport.

Hear about the show and their directing process. The Meet will also be recorded so you can watch with your class, or encourage them to do so on their own, at a later date!

Sign up and join us live in Glow TV on the night though if you can!

Burns Day Celebrations in Glow

This year Glow is joining Dalgety Bay Primary School in Fife to celebrate Burns Day 2012 with Kevin Thompson and Burns 250.

We are broadcasting two separate events one specifically for P1-3 and the other for P 4-7. The first Glow Meet is for P 1-3 and will involve story telling about the life of Robert Burns, his poems and lots of opportunities to sing along to many of his famous, and sometimes funny songs! This event begins at 9.45am – Sign up and join this event.

Then at 11am we have something for the P4 -7 children. In this our second live session Kevin in his one-man show accompanied by Powerpoint slides will tells Burns’ life-story based around his songs and poems.
The songs and poems are woven into a narrative telling about key points in Burns’ life from his birth in 1759 to his untimely death just 37 years later. The best way to enjoy Burns is to take part so audience participation is encouraged where songs have choruses!! Sign up and join this event.

So why not sign up and join us for these very Scottish celebrations live in Glow TV?!
Further Burns resources can be found on the Education Scotland website.

Glow Meet: King of Masks – Part of Chinese New Year Celebrations

The King of Masks is a brilliant street performer who practices the change-mask opera art of bian lian. He laments that he has no grandchild to pass on his magical skills, so he adopts an orphan boy to become his apprentice. But the boy turns out not to be what he seems… A special film from China full of colour, fireworks and adventures!

On the day of the screening of the King of Masks live in Glasgow Glow TV be broadcasting the introduction to the event which lasts approximately 10 minutes. You are able to request a free DVD to watch along in the classroom during the live screening in Glasgow. To request your free DVD please contact matt@eightandahalf.org.

At 11.55am we will return live to Glasgow to take part in the live interactive workshop with Chinese opera singer and Ricefield workshop leader Fong Liu from St. Ninian’s High School who will be dressed in full Chinese costume. This workshop will last approximately 15-20 mins.

THIS EVENT IS RECOMMENDED FOR PRIMARY 4 AND ABOVE.

Why not sign up and join us on the day Don’t forget to request your free DVD! http://bit.ly/kingofmasksevent

Date and time: 06/02/2012 – 10:15am

Find out more on the Glasgow Film Festival Website

Seafood Scotland Launches Schools Art Competition

Seafood Scotland has teamed up with the 6th World Fisheries Congress to offer a competition that encourages school children to learn more about the relationship between scientists and fisheries, and how this helps to protect the marine ecosystem.

High school and primary school pupils taking part in Seafood Scotland’s ‘Seafood in Schools’ pilot project are being asked to design a T-shirt for delegates at the Congress, which will be held in Edinburgh in May 2012. The design must illustrate the association between seafood and science.

Prizes for the competition are sponsored by Seafish and include £1000 worth of science equipment for the winning high school and £500 of equipment for the winning primary school.

The pupil responsible for the overall winning design will receive a presentation T-shirt at the Congress, followed by a VIP visit to Deep Sea World at South Queensferry. A runner-up will be presented with their own design on a T-shirt and also visit the aquarium.

Jon Harman, Seafish director of development, said: “Seafish is committed to improving awareness and understanding about the importance of the seafood industry amongst all consumers, young and old.

“This competition is a creative, innovative way of encouraging school children to get excited about fisheries and science, so we are delighted to offer our support.

“This is a great way to make learning fun, and to ensure that the pupils gain a sense of how science is being applied in real life to protect our marine ecosystem for the future.”

Click here to read more.