Tag Archives: Social studies

Primary, Skills, Social studies, Technologies

Social Studies Digital Learning Day

February 17, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Date and time:

Saturday 21st March, 2015

9:30 – 15:00

Where:

Stirling Management Centre, Stirling Court Hotel

Organised and funded by Education Scotland, the day aims to engage practitioners in lively professional dialogue about the success and challenges of using digital learning in the Social Studies classroom. Download the full programme here: http://bit.ly/Ddayprogramme

There are 50 places available on a first come, first served basis and the day is open to all primary teachers and secondary Social Subject teachers. Book your place now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2STXHJS

This is a free event, including a free lunch. However, delegates will be required to meet their own travel costs.

Keynote Speakers

1) Active History

Russel Tarr – Head of History at the International School of Toulouse

Russel will share the digital applications and programs he has developed for his websites www.classtools.net and www.activehistory.co.uk. All of these have been designed for the students in his own history classroom.

2) Digital Commonwealth 2104

Professor David McGillivray – Chair in Event and Digital Cultures

School of Media, Culture and Society, University of the West of Scotland

Jennifer Jones – Project Coordinator, Digital Commonwealth 2014

David and Jennifer will share the success of the Digital Commonwealth to engage learners in developing and applying skills in digital media.

3) Digital Learning with the BBC

BBC Learning Online

Learn about new online resources to support CfE, the success of School News Report and the creativity of BBC Scotland’s L.A.B.

4) Reconnecting with Glow

Glow Futures Team, Education Scotland

The Glow team want to highlight some of what’s on offer and would like to invite delegates to have a fresh look at how Glow can help support learning and teaching.

Workshops

Apps and Maps – Annette Iafrate, Geography teacher, Gryffe High School, Houston

As one of Microsoft’s Innovative Educator Experts, Annette will share her passion for digital learning through using a variety of apps on tablets and ipods that integrate ICT seamlessly into her lessons, as well as creating class textbooks in OneNote.

Digital Storytelling – Philip Donnolly, Education Manager, Scottish Film

A former Senior Lecturer on Glasgow University’s Initial Teacher Education programme, Philip has long been a passionate innovator and exponent of digital technology in the classroom.

Delegates will learn simple but powerful methods for pupils to use Digital Video to reinforce curricular learning across all ages and contexts of Social Studies. Delegates will develop skills in voice overs, selecting still and moving images, and using video editing software.

Online Mapping – Carol Blackwood, Digimap For Schools

Online mapping can be the starting point of any lesson that has place as a concept. Carol will show delegates how to get pupils to be creative and present information to demonstrate their understanding of something they are being taught.

Citizen Journalism – Anna Brocklehurst, Sky Skills Studio (TBC)

A team from Sky Skills Studio will show delegates how to combine a range of digital and presentation skills to develop learners abilities to research, debate and report on news and politics.

Directions:

http://www.stirlingcourthotel.com/stunning-location/Getting-Here/

Mathematics, Responsibility of All, Social studies

Tenner Challenge for Enterprise

February 6, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

The deadline is fast approaching for the Tenner Challenge. All schools must register by the 27th February. To do so go here:

http://www.tenner.org.uk/about-tenner#

The Tenner Challenge is for young people aged 11-19 who want to get a taste of what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. It gives them a chance to think of a new business idea and make it happen, using real money to take calculated risks in the business field, make a profit – and make a difference. Tenner is a national competition and young people from all over the country can get involved.

Tenner can be a great way to take on a Challenge in your local area and make money at the same time.

How it works:

Step 1 – Here’s a Tenner!
Young people are pledged £10 from the Tenner Bank on 23 February.
Step 2 – Get started
They use this start-up capital to get their business off the ground, working alone or in a group.

Young Enterprise can help kick start your Tenner Challenge by running a half day masterclass for your participants. This does have an associated cost, subject to local funding streams. Please contact us for further information.
Step 3 – Keep it going
They have 4 weeks to make as much profit as they can from their tenner while also trying to make a difference and give back to society. Participants can also take part in weekly competitions to keep them engaged and motivated.

There are online resources available in the unique area of the website to help teachers lead their students through the Challenge, some of which include; guidance, activities, templates and more. For the students there will be templates and guidance as well as an online logbook to help them keep track of how they are getting on, which will also be their entry to the National Competition.
Step 4 – Keep the profits
Participants are in full control of the profits they have earned and should decide themselves what they would like to spend them on – for example, a day out, resources or activities for school, or they may wish to donate their money to a charity of their choice.
Step 5 – Payback for the future
At the end of the month, participants enter the National Competition and payback their £10 plus a suggested £1 legacy donation so more young people can participate in the Challenge next year.

Early Years, Primary, Professional Learning, Social studies, Technologies

Scottish Learning Festival 2015 – Social Studies

January 28, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

The Scottish Learning Festival is Scotland’s largest annual professional learning event, offering education practitioners a great opportunity to increase their knowledge, discover new work, and improve their practice. Delegates can take part in a range of Conference sessions (Keynotes, seminars, discussions and more) and meet Exhibitors from organisations with products and services which benefit learners.

Scottish Learning Festival 2015 will take place at the SECC in Glasgow on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th September 2015.

The theme of this year’s event is “Raising attainment and achievement for all”, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through local partnerships and collaboration; self-evaluation; and work-related learning.

Education Scotland is inviting organisations to submit proposals for seminars that will become part of this year’s programme. Full details of the themes and the online submission form are available on the SLF website. The closing date for submitting proposals is Friday 27th February 2015.

In the Social Studies team we are keen that the final programme includes great examples of effective and stimulating practice from schools, including creative projects and fresh approaches to learning. We are interested in all the subject areas within Social Studies, and in any sector. If you would like to showcase some of the work that your school or class is undertaking, or an activity that supports the professional development of teachers, please do consider submitting a seminar proposal.

Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Primary, Sciences, Social studies

Collect data about the environment and win £1000!

January 28, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Do you have an environmental issue in your local area? Can you collect data about the issue?

Can you think of a solution to the problem?
Collect data about an environmental issue in your local area, propose a solution and submit your ideas and you could win £1000 for your school.
Ideas, resources and last years entries can be found here.

March 30th closing date

Health and wellbeing, Social studies, Young people, children & families

Scottish Youth Parliament Launch Child Poverty Campaign

January 23, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

The Scottish Youth Parliament today launched their new campaign “Poverty – See It / Change It” from the innovative Fuse Youth Cafe in Shettleston in Glasgow.

Louise Cameron, the Chair of SYP, spoke eloquently and passionately about the overwhelming support from MSYP (Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament) constituents to back and support a campaign seeking to eradicate child poverty in Scotland, where 1 in 5 children are growing up in poverty. Read the facts about child poverty in Scotland from Save the Children. Louise said that:

“Scotland could be the best place in the world to grow up” and that child povery was an “issue that transcends party politics” and that “together let’s do more!”

Supporting the event were many MSPs and MPs, including the MSP for Shettleston, John Mason (SNP) and the MP for Shettleston, Margaret Curran (Labour). John Mason said that, “challenging stigma to poverty and raising awareness to poverty” were key parts of the campaign. Margaret Curran stated that young people should be able to “fulfill their potential and make their own decisions of the life they want to live.” And that “life shouldn’t be determined by the postcode in which you were born.”

MSYP Nairn McDonald set out the aims for the campaign:

SEE IT Raise awareness and let people see the reality of poverty in Scotland
CHANGE IT MYSPs will work across the country speaking to young people, charities and other groups – changing attitdues and challenging stigma through peer to peer discussions.
KEEP IT MYSPs will actively urge decision makers to ‘keep’ their committment to tackling poverty.

The campaign is already in full swing and thoughout the day MYSPs have been meeting with various charitable groups to learn more about what they do to alleviate child poverty and how the MYSPs can support their efforts. To find out more and chart the progress of the campaign follow the hashtag #seeitchangeit on Twitter.

To find out more about the Scottish Youth Parliament and how the MSYP are elected look here: http://www.syp.org.uk/about-syp-W21page-94-

If teachers wish to explore some of the issues around child poverty there are some thought provoking archive films from Scotland On Screen that can be used as great lesson starters.

Tam Trauchle’s Troubles (1934) is a fundraising film for the Glasgow Necessitous Children’s Holiday Camp Fund, which raised money to help send poor children on a holiday during the summer break.

Man Without A Wife (1970) is about a man whose wife left him to bring up six boys on his own and the difficulties he experienced.

Children of the City (1944) is a dramatised study of child delinquency in Dundee during World War II.

The Health of a City (1965) describes the foundation of day nurseries in Glasgow for children with missing parents.

Glasgow Today and Tomorrow (1949) outlines the Glasgow Corporation’s plans for the redevelopment of Glasgow, including the removal of slum housing and overcrowded tenemants.

Early Years, Outdoor Learning, Primary, Sciences, Social studies

Seashell citizen science survey

January 22, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Scottish Seashell Survey

Keep Scotland Beautiful is encouraging all beach visitors this summer to participate in the first citizen science Scottish Seashell Survey. A fun way to learn about the natural world while helping to collect useful information about the creatures that live around our coasts.

Primary, Skills, Social studies, Technologies

Save The Date: Social Studies and Digital Technologies Day

January 16, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Social Studies and Digital Technologies Day
organised by Education Scotland

Date: 21st March 2015

Time: 9:30 – 3:00

Venue: Stirling Management Centre, Stirling

Places: 40 – open to all primary and secondary practitioners

This is an excellent CLPL opportunity to refresh and learn new approaches to integrating ICT and Technologies through Social Studies.
There will be three exciting keynote speakers in the morning, followed by an afternoon session with a choice of three interactive workshops.
A complete programme for the day and the opportunity to book a place will be published in early February.

Social studies

Ponte City: new exhibition and private teacher viewing at Scottish National Portrait Gallery

January 13, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Teachers Private View
Thursday 15th January 5.15pm – 7pm
Enjoy a guided tour of the Ponte City exhibition with the curator and find out more about the schools programme.
Exhibition runs 6th Dec 2014 – 26th April 2015
at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Queen St Edinburgh EH2 1JD

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/ponte-city
Please book by contacting lconacher@nationalgalleries.org

This photographic exhibition documents the Ponte City tower block building in Johannesburg, South Africa from 2007 to 2012.

Potential curriculum links: (especially suitable for secondary school pupils)
• People, place and environment
• Social issues – apartheid / equality and diversity / poverty
• Comparison with Scottish cities eg. the demolition of the Red Road Flats in Glasgow
• Values, beliefs and cultures
• Global Citizenship
• Expressive Arts

Ponte City was built for white people at the height of apartheid, but with the end of the Group Areas Act in 1991 became a refuge for black newcomers from the townships and rural areas, and then immigrants from elsewhere in Africa.

The building entered into a period of decline; by the turn of the century Ponte City symbolised urban decay and was perceived as the epicentre of crime, prostitution and drug dealing in Johannesburg. In 2007 developers evicted half of the residents and began gutting the empty apartments, but financial difficulties halted the renovation process before completion.

During this time artists Subotzky and Waterhouse began to document the building by:
• interviewing the remaining tenants
• photographing every door in the 54-storey structure
• photographing the view from every window
• photographing TV screens in the flats where residents were watching television
• collecting documents and other debris from the abandoned units

Primary, Skills, Social studies, Technologies

Amnesty Youth Awards

December 9, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

The Amnesty Youth Awards bit.ly/132PPRy celebrates young people’s talents for human rights reporting, photography, songwriting (and performing), campaigning and fundraising.

Applications for our Youth Awards 2015 open on 8 September 2014 and closes on the 30 January 2015.

The competition is open to young people between the ages of 7 – 19 (up to and including Further Education). Students can take part in one or more categories to develop new skills and confidence to engage creatively with human rights.

Amnesty has awards and teaching resources to support five different catagories:

The Awards run in conjunction with the Times Educational Supplement and this year’s judges include:

Sir Richard Branson – ambassador of Amnesty’s Youth Awards
Sir Trevor McDonald OBE – judge, Young Reporter strand
Krishnan Guru-Murthy – judge, Young Reporter strand
Rankin – judge, Photographer strand
Kate Nash – judge, Singer-Songwriter strand
Owen Jones – judge, Campaigner strand

Modern Languages, Social studies, Technologies

Japan Webpage Contest

December 4, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

This contest is open to any UK school that is teaching Japanese or doing any kind of project related to Japan. Your school does not need to be teaching Japanese to enter the contest.

http://bit.ly/japanwebcontest

To enter the contest, all you need to do is make a simple webpage about the work that your school is doing with Japanese or Japan. This could be a blog, a wiki, or a page that’s part of your school’s website.

Your webpage could feature:

A project with your Japanese partner school
A report on your school’s visit to Japan
A report on your school’s Japan Day
Japanese or Japan-related resources that you have made to help your students
Japanese language work made by students
Other Japan-related work by students, e.g. from geography, history, art, sports, music, intercultural understanding, cross-curricular lessons
Students’ experiences of learning Japanese or about Japan
An overview of Japanese at your school

All entries to the contest will be featured on the website. You will also have your chance to vote for your favourite shortlisted entries, in the online voting poll.

Cash prizes and other prizes will be awarded to the best entries. Click here for more information.

In 2010, the Public Vote Award was won by Bearsden Primary School for their Godzilla’s Den website.

Look at other past entries for more inspiration. http://www.japanwebpagecontest.org.uk/vote2011.php

(The contest is organised by the Japan Foundation London. The Japan Foundation is Japan’s principal organisation for promoting international cultural exchange.)

Outdoor Learning, Primary, Sciences, Skills, Social studies, Uncategorised

Millport: Primary Fieldwork Weekend

November 25, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

38 primary teachers from 8 different local authorities landed on the Isle of Cumbrae between the 14-16th November for a fun packed weekend of Outdoor Learning. The Social Studies fieldwork skills CLPL was held at the Field Studies Council centre in Millport. The course was fully funded by Education Scotland and organised in conjunction with Scottish FSC manager, Daniel Moncrieff, and his team.

FSC Scotland delivers Primary, Environmental, Biology, Adventurous Activity and Geography courses for over 5000 students a year. The course built on this expertise and introduced participants to a range of different fieldwork activities which can be used with primary school students. The course was aimed at primary teachers and educators who wanted to further develop their skills to support and lead outdoor learning.

On Saturday, the course focused on Biodiversity and school grounds activities. Engaging activities to illustrate geographical processes included Kung Fu, Geosquishing and Sensory Mapping.

A trip to the Rocky Shore included a competitive scavenge for seal life, making Rocky Shore Real Estate adverts, using string quadrats to compare different areas of plants, and using found objects to create environmental beach art.

The afternoon consisted of fun interactive games helping to explain food chains and food webs, digging for and collecting worm data (using one of the free Citizen Science Opal packs), a trip to the aquarium to study plankton under the microscope and an energetic game of Star Orienteering.

On Sunday the focus was on Energy and the Viking history of the island. The Viking activities included landscape poetry, sound maps, family dramas and a superb Viking Changing Rooms activity where groups had to piece together the interior of a Viking home.

The Energy activity introduced annotated sketches and photos. The groups explored the advantages and drawbacks of different energy production methods present on the Clyde (including wind, coal and nuclear) and considered possible and probable futures over the next 100 years based on these activities. IPads were used to GPS log and annotate photos and to film imaginative stories explaining the litter objects found on the beach from the perspective of someone from 2600!

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:

“I was not confident in my ability to come up with and deliver creative lessons which targeted the relevant CfE outcomes for Social Studies. With all the great ideas for games and activites I can transfer these skills to pretty much any outcome (with some tweaking of course).”

“The best bit was the practical nature of the whole weekend. It gave the opportunity to feel like the pupil and how they would benefit from all the different types of learning we experienced.”

“Daniel was absolutely fantastic at delivering every experience. His humour and intelligence go hand in hand.”

“The resources needed were easily accessible, cheap and did not require specialist knowledge.”

“I loved the rocky shore activity because it is something I could easily adapt at the allotment – searching through leaf piles and logs, etc.”

“I loved how they brought the history of the Vikings to life, incorporating Social Studies, literacy and Drama. I plan to adapt this activity next term during the Victorians IDL topic.”

“I enjoyed the course enormously. The course instructors were enthusiastic, passionate and very helpful. I look forward to taking outdoor learning to a higher level and delivering meaningful and engaging learning experiences to children.”

“Excellent opportunity for teachers to not only gain experience and knowledge of outdoor learning but it also provided an opportunity for teachers to get together and share experiences informally without paper work and expectations.”

The Education Scotland Social Studies team plan to run more opportunities in the future for primary and secondary teachers to improve their fieldwork skills.

Log on to the Social Studies Network on Glow to share your thoughts on Outdoor Learning: http://bit.do/socialstudiespl

Contact Daniel and his staff at Millport FSC for more information about class visits and OPAL Survey packs: enquiries.sco@field-studies-council.org

Primary, Sciences, Social studies

‘Our Environment Competition’ resources

October 21, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

The team working on ‘Our Environment‘ competition on Scotland’s Environment website are beginning to add learning resources to their competition page.

This includes learning journeys, helpful hints about ‘What SE Web can do for you’, a page of useful links when planning your competition entry and briefing notes with helpful information for teachers. More resources and links are being added every week to this.

Remember the compeition is your chance to

find an environmental problem that you want to fix (or a potential problem you want to prevent)
describe the problem
work out what you want to change, how that could make us healthier and happier
work out how you are going to make it happen.

…and you could win £1000 for your school or group!

http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get-involved/the-big-discussion/

CfE, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Primary, Sciences, Social studies

Our Environment Competition

October 9, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

Our Environment Competition has been launched by Scotland’s Environment Web

How Would You Make Our Environment Better?

“Take part in Our Environment Competition. Show us how you would make our environment better and win £1000! ”
The competition is open to young people of school age. It opens on 24th September 2014 and closes on 31st March 2015.

Young people need to:

find an environmental problem that you want to fix (or a potential problem you want to prevent)
describe the problem and collect data
work out what you want to change
work out how you are going to make it happen.

Entries should:

be ambitious & inspiring;
be of a high quality and well presented;
engage with other members of your school or community; and
have a legacy potential.

The competition provides an engaging way of involving young people in their local environment and environmental issues.

It enables a focus on investigation and analysing skills.

It allows children to participate in scientific discussions and topical science.

There are four age categories:

First level
Second Level
Third and Fourth Level
Senior Phase

Individual or group

You can develop an entry as an individual or as a group.

School or outside of school

You can enter as part of a school project (a class, school group or individual)
You can enter as part of a group out-with school (e.g. youth club, Scouts, Guides, a group of friends), or as an individual

You can submit your entries from 1st January 2015. Remember the closing date is 31st March 2015. If you submit your work by the end of February 2015 you will be eligible for a £100 prize draw.

You should submit your entry by going to the competition website. The website will ask you to fill in a simple form and then upload your application.

There is a £1000 prize for the best group entry from all the age categories, and a £100 prize for the best individual entry, money which you can use to further develop your ideas and make them happen.

In addition, there will be two prizes for each age category, one for the best individual entry and one for the best group entry.

All winners will also be invited to attend a celebration ceremony. Further information can be found on Scotland’s Environment Web.

Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Literacy and English, Outdoor Learning, Social studies

John Muir – Back to the Future

May 29, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

2014 has seen John Muir leap to prominence, with a Way, a Festival, a Conference…not to mention a recent trend for beards (coincidence?!).

But what does the younger generation make of a man who left Dunbar, East Lothian for America aged 10, became an adventurer and conservation visionary, helped set up the National Parks movement, and died 100 years ago?

The John Muir Trust asked them – and found out some fascinating facts, interesting insights, and whether Muir’s message has relevance to young people today.

Watch a 5 minute film created by the John Muir Trust at http://vimeo.com/95260067 .

“The film captures young people’s thoughts and integrates John Muir’s life story fabulously.” Koren Calder, Young Adult Project Manager, Scottish Book Trust

“A lovely evocation of the roots and the meaning of Muir set into teen parlance.” John Beatty

CfE, CLD, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies, Uncategorised

John Muir – teaching resources

April 22, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

John Muir Education Pack – This resource aims to help teachers understand outdoor learning opportunities, and give confidence to use outdoor spaces for teaching a wide range of experiences and outcomes. The pack for Second Level encourages structured learning in the outdoors, along with a deeper understanding of John Muir’s writings and philosophies. The pack can be used flexibility as stand-alone activities to cover certain aspects of the topic or as activities leading into each other as a programme of learning. The Second Level pack can help with an introduction to the John Muir Award. John Muir Education Pack – Second Level

The pack has been created by The Rural Connect Project which is all about reconnecting local communities to the rural environment through community engagement events, workshops and online resources www.ruralconnectwestlothian.co.uk.

Outdoor Learning Resource Guide – This new Outdoor Learning Resource Guide summarises the many benefits of Outdoor Learning, and contains useful information and website links for further information.
http://www.jmt.org/assets/john%20muir%20award/downloads/resourceguideoutdoorlearning.pdf

John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe – A graphic novel based upon the life of John Muir has been produced by the Scottish Book Trust with free copies going to every secondary school in Scotland. It’s also available for anyone, anywhere to download as a PDF version. Teaching support notes and pupil activities also accompany the book. John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe brings Muir’s story to life in a new way, and is intended to develop a deeper understanding and awareness of the natural environment and the importance of protecting wild places.
http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/teaching-resources-cpd/john-muir

New John Muir Way website – Find out everything you need to know about the UK’s newest long distance route, by visiting the new website. There are maps and information for each of the ten sections of the 133 mile route, which runs between Helensburgh in the West and Dunbar on the East. http://johnmuirway.org/

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Outdoor Learning, Social studies

Sustrans – The Big Street Survey

April 9, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

Sustrans, the British charity which promotes sustainable transport, has developed a learning and teaching resource for P6-7 and S1-3 called The Big Street Survey. It is designed to get pupils thinking and learning about their local environments, how they make them feel and how they can go about developing a manifesto for changing their streets and making them healthier and safer places.

A series of free downloadable resources can be viewed here:

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-your-travel/children-and-families/schools/big-street-survey

These resources deliver various Experiences & Outcomes across Health & Wellbeing, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Literacy and Numeracy.

CfE, Community Capacity Building, Community Resilience, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Senior Phase, Skills, Social studies, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Last Chance: Community Resilience Conversation and Networking event – Monday 17th March 2014 at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel. (09:30 for 10:00 start – 15:00)

March 12, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

There are still places available at Education Scotland’s Community Resilience Conversation and Networking Event on Monday 17^th March.

The day is aimed at members of the Scottish Government, emergency planning and civil contingencies teams from local councils, representatives from local education authorities, and members of other key organisations to consider community resilience as a rich and exciting context for teaching and learning.

Conversation activities will provide delegates with opportunities to network with one another and engage in professional dialogue in relation to preparing for emergencies and developing resilient communities. Selected examples of good practice will also be shared through engaging presentations delivered by government, local council and school representatives.

We would like to invite you to take part in the event at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel on the 17^th March 2014 to explore how we might take forward resilience education in schools and consider important developments in teaching and learning.

We would be grateful if you could register online at http://svy.mk/Mb8ZM7 by end of day Thursday 13^th March 2014 to confirm your attendance and inform us of any special dietary or access requirements you may have.

CfE, Community Capacity Building, Community Resilience, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Senior Phase, Skills, Social studies, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Community Resilience Education – Conversation Day and Networking Event – Mon 17th March 2014

March 4, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

Time: 09:30 (for 10:00 start) – 15:00

Venue: Glasgow Hilton Hotel, William Street, Glasgow, G3 8HT

Education Scotland is excited to be hosting its first community resilience conversation and networking event with a view to developing a shared, partnership approach to provide 3-18 resilience education opportunities.

The day aims to bring together members of the Scottish Government, emergency planning and civil contingencies teams from local councils, representatives from local education authorities, and members of other key organisations to consider community resilience as a rich and exciting context for teaching and learning focusing on a range of contexts such as flooding and other forms of extreme weather and their impact on our lives.

We would like to invite you to take part in the event at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel on the 17^th March 2014 to explore how we might take forward resilience education and consider important developments in teaching and learning. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. There is no cost to attend.

We would be grateful if you could register online at http://svy.mk/Mb8ZM7 by Monday 10^th March 2014 to confirm your attendance and inform us of any special dietary or access requirements you may have.

CfE, Social studies

National Competition Helps Pupils Bring History To Life

November 21, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Primary schools in Scotland have until December 1, 2013 to sign up to a national competition that will see pupils turn detective to uncover the real life stories of ex servicemen and women.

The Scottish Primary School War Memorial competition, run by the Royal British Legion Scotland, will see hundreds of pupils investigating stories of soldiers – whose names are on local memorials – and their families from World War One and conflicts since.

Pupils will bring history to life as they work with local veterans from RBLS branches as part of the project. And they will get a chance to trace living relatives of war heroes as part of their research, which starts with a visit to the local war memorial.

Newburgh Primary School in Fife won the first competition in 2007. Head Teacher, Susan Mitchell said: “As a result of their research they spoke to living relatives of local boys and former pupils of the school, killed in action at 19. They also won a community award and Friends of the Forces.

She added: “The competition opens up so many opportunities. Pupils develop skills across the curriculum from literacy to IT. And ultimately it helps pupils learn the real value of history, as young citizens of their local community.”

To enter, pupils need to research a local war memorial within the school’s area and find out as much information as they can about the servicemen and women, the battles they were in and the stories of their service.

A great prize is up for grabs too – the winning school will win a trip for ten pupils to London to tour and sleep on board World War Two warship HMS Belfast moored on the Thames. Pupils will also present their winning entry to veterans from across Scotland.

To enter, teachers need to visit www.rblscotland.com/schools and fill in the entry form.

CfE, Community Capacity Building, Community Resilience, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Technologies

FREE to your school!! Urban Flooding Model Workshops

November 13, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

What is it?

An interactive, free workshop has been developed to explain the processes involved with urban flooding and flood prevention. It also introduces the concept of community resilience and the role that individuals can play in protecting themselves and their neighbours.

The main element of the workshop is an interactive physical model, representing a typical town with a river, houses, shops, industrial units, roads and parks. The model simulates rainfall, with water being fed to sprinklers and the river via a system of pumps. Workshop participants are able to change certain elements of the urban fabric to help reduce the severity of flooding.

Is it any good?

Since 2009, over 5000 people have participated in the workshop, most of whom were young people. Independent evaluation of the workshop “…yielded strong evidence for the learning that took place during audiences’ interaction with the project”.

Work with the Scottish Government and SEPA has supported on-going flood risk awareness raising, and again the feedback has been very positive.

Can it come to my school?

Sure. The Scottish Government have commissioned Heriot-Watt University to take the workshop to Scottish schools in 2013/14.

We can visit you to run our interactive workshop for your pupils for free; all you have to do is provide us with some space to run the workshop and some interested children. We will also leave you with a follow up lesson plan to reinforce some of the key workshop messages

Contact Grant Wright to arrange a visit (Tel: 0131 4518261, Email: g.b.wright@Hw.ac.uk)

For more information go to http://urbanfloodmodel.wordpress.com/

Additional Support for Learning, Adult Learning, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All, Social studies, Universal Support, Young people, children & families

Outdoor Learning with the National Parks Inspiring Landscapes – Inspiring Learning

September 13, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Senior Leaders Professional Learning Event – Dounans Centre, Aberfoyle: Friday 20^th September 2013

A one day event for head teachers and deputy head teachers, focusing on whole school approaches, inspection and self-evaluation for school managers. Delegates will hear from senior managers, education officers and others with experience of outdoor learning in the context of school improvement.

Staff Professional Learning Weekend – Dounans Centre, Aberfoyle: Friday 20^th – Sunday 22^nd September 2013

This opportunity is aimed at staff from all schools and settings within the partner authorities, and will provide inputs from project and centre staff, from the National Park ranger service, and from Education Scotland staff to support you in embedding Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning in your school or nursery. As well as a variety of ‘sharing good practice’ sessions run by teachers across all sectors.

The weekend will provide staff with practical tools, ideas and inspiration for developing progressive and frequent outdoor learning opportunities for pupils which will support and enrich all aspects of their learning.

Spaces are still available on these programmes for further information contact

Joan.Reilly@educationscotland.gov.uk

Workshops Staff Professional Learning Weekend

Staff CLPL residential weekend 2013 – info for schools

Final Programme Staff PL Weekend

Final Programme School Leaders

CfE, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Sciences, Social studies, Young people, children & families

Mission:Explore celebrates John Muir with launch of a new ebook

April 21, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

A partnership between the John Muir Trust and Mission:Explore – a group of teachers, artists, activists and adventurers – has launched a free ebook to introduce the great explorer, naturalist, writer, mountaineer and conservationist to a new audience.

Supported by Scottish Natural Heritage, Mission:Explore – John Muir, features a range of activities that reflect the adventures and ethos of the Victorian Scot, whose 175th birthday will be celebrated this month in his adopted homeland the USA as well as in the land of his birth.

It encourages people of all ages – including groups and families – to follow in the footsteps of Muir by taking part in an imaginative set of ‘missions’, which involve looking, touching, walking, exploring, thinking, and even dancing in wild nature wherever they find it.

Suggested activities range from observing how frogs swim to getting windswept, creating a mini-National Park, and staring at the stars.

The book launch ties in perfectly with Year of Natural Scotland 2013 and its theme of celebrating John Muir. There is already interest across the UK and in America.

Your ebook is free to download from Mission:Explore and John Muir Award web pages, and can be used on smart phones, laptops and tablets, or printed off and read in the old-fashioned way.

Link to John Muir Award launch page – http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-mission-explore-john-muir.asp
Link to Mission:Explore launch page – http://www.missionexplore.net/shop

Daniel Raven-Ellison, Guerilla Geographer at Mission:Explore, said: “Mission:Explore and the John Muir Award have much in common. We’re both all about discovering, exploring, conserving and sharing, so making this book together made perfect sense.

“We had a great time making it and we’re sure that our readers will have an even better time doing each of the quirky adventures inside. Good luck!”

“These missions are great, you can really see the spark they’ve generated with teachers.” Carol Walker, South Lanarkshire Outdoor Learning Development Officer

Featuring 20 activities that reflect the adventures and ethos of the Victorian Scot, you can access the free Mission:Explore John Muir eBook or PDF in a number of ways:

• eBook – on-line with Graphicly http://graphicly.com/mission-explore/mission-explore-john-muir/john-muir
• eBook for iPhone or iPad – via ‘Mission Explore John Muir’ in iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/mission-explore-john-muir/id627660952?mt=11
• eBook from Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=The%20Geography%20Collective&search-alias=books-uk&sort=relevancerank
• Printable PDF version (5.3MB) from http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-mission-explore-john-muir.asp

Find hundreds of other missions on the Mission:Explore website http://www.missionexplore.net

About Mission:Explore

• Mission:Explore is a collection of books created by the Geography Collective, a unique team of over 25 geographers, teachers, educators and artists who work together to help young people explore and see the world in new ways. It makes books full of illustrated challenges that aim to make children a little more confident, happy, empathetic and knowledgeable.They think that learning in the real world, in real places and about real issues are vital to any childhood.

• Mission:Explore has won awards including National Trust & Hay Festival Outdoor Book of the Year 2011, and a Pink Stinks approved stamp for being gender neutral.

About Year of Natural Scotland 2013

• The Year of Natural Scotland 2013 is the latest in a series of themed years for the Scottish Government. It aims to highlight Scotland’s stunning natural beauty and biodiversity, and promote opportunities for visitors and residents to enjoy our beautiful landscapes, wildlife and heritage responsibly. http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/year-of-natural-scotland-2013

About The John Muir Trust

The John Muir Trust is the leading wild land conservation charity in the United Kingdom, with a membership of around 10,000.

We seek to ensure that wild land is protected and enhanced, and that wild places are valued by and for everyone.

The Trust does this by:
• Owning and managing wild land for conservation
• Assisting others in wild land management
• Campaigning for the long-term legal protection of wild land
• Encouraging people to connect with and care for wild places through the John Muir Award and volunteer conservation programmes.

We take our name and inspiration from John Muir (1838-1914), the pioneering, influential Scots-born American conservationist who dedicated his life to protecting wild places and campaigned successfully for the establishment of National Parks to safeguard vast tracts of wild land, including Yosemite Valley in California.

CfE, Glow TV, RME, Social studies

Holocaust Memorial Day 2013 – Glow TV Events

January 22, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Glow TV is once more celebrating Holocaust Memorial Day which is on 27th January with a series of events. Below you can find out all the details and hopefully you will be able to join us for some of them!

Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory – Sello Hatang – Thursday 24th January 2013 11am

Sello Hatang from the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory will speak about the work of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and how this organisation has helped rebuild the fractured community in South Africa. Pupils will have the opportunity to ask Sello questions about his experiences to do with reconcilliation and rebuilding trust.

Sello Hatang is the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory’s Head of Public Programming, and spokesperson. Previously he was a senior manager at South Africa’s Human Rights Commission. He participated in the post-1994 transformation of the National Archives, including archival support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and is a former Director of the South African History Archive. He was a member of the editorial team of Nelson Mandela’s book, Conversations with Myself. Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Nelson Mandela Foundation – Rebuilding communities .

Holocaust Memorial Day 2013 – Monday 28th January 2013 10.30am

Join us live from from Glasgow City Chambers to take part in Holocaust Memorial Day 2013, Scotland’s National Event, with Jean Paul Samputu from the Rwandan Forgiveness Campaign, Sello Hatang from the Nelson Mandela Foundation and pupils from Shawlands Academy, Holyrood Secondary and St Anne’s Primary School choir. Help us to be a community together and build a bridge! Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Holocaust Memorial Event – Scotland 2013.

Rwandan Forgiveness Campaign – Tuesday 29th January 2013 join us at for 11am

Jean Paul Samputu is a Rwandan musician who lost almost his entire family in the genocide in 1994 and who now campaigns for reconciliation and forgiveness. Samputu sings in six languages and uses a variety of musical styles in his work. After the genocide and murder of his family by a man he regarded as his best friend, Jean Paul fell into a spiral of drink and drug abuse and was unable to perform music for several years.

Samputu is now a cultural ambassador for Rwanda and travels throughout the world teaching about and performing traditional African music and also spreading his message of peace and forgiveness. In 2009 he was nominated for World Vision International’s Peace Prize.

This will be a unique opportunity to hear Jean Paul speak about his experiences, about forgiveness and to ask him your own questions. Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Rwandan Forgiveness Campaign

CfE, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, National Qualifications, Outdoor Learning, Research, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies, Supporting Learners, Technologies, Young people, children & families

Learning for Sustainability – report published

December 17, 2012 User deactivated Leave a comment

Learning for Sustainability – the report of the One Planet Schools Working Group, was published 17 December 2012.

The report includes strategic recommendations to support the development of coherent whole school approaches to ensure that learning for sustainability, global citizenship and outdoor learning are experienced in a transformative way by every learner in every school across Scotland. The report includes a number of recommendations relating to career-long professional learning and initial teacher education and advocates genuine partnerships with local communities and action to improve the sustainability of the school estate. A key ambition of the report is to provide an agenda for strategic change that will create an enabling framework, remove barriers, and build on existing excellent practice.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages said:
“I welcome the publication of Learning for Sustainability and would like to thank the Working Group for their work and commitment to producing the report and recommendations. As we approach the Year of Natural Scotland in 2013, the report reminds us of the importance of learning which connects young people to local and global issues, an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.

“A wide range of actions have been taken as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and we welcome steps to encourage and support schools in their approach to sustainability and global citizenship, including through outdoor learning.

“We will take time to consider the report, to engage with partners on its recommendations and respond in full in March 2013.”

The report can be downloaded from:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/OnePlanetSchools

See the associated Engage in Education blog from Professor Pete Higgins, Chair of the One Planet Schools Working Group: http://engageforeducation.org/news/learning-for-sustainability/

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A training blog for PLSuperheroes