Tag Archives: social subjects

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

Scottish Learning Festival 2015 – Social Studies

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SLF_2015logoThe 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.

CfE, Expressive Arts, RME

Holocaust Memorial Day – Learning Blog

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HMD 2015Education Scotland will be supporting an online learning conversation exploring how Art can be used to depict and understand the Holocaust.

The artist Gordon Cockburn, who is the proprietor of Cockburn Galleries in Maybole, South Ayrshire, has agreed to share his work with learners to support Holocaust Memorial Day activities and events.

Learners can use a Glow based collaborative space to support each others learning around this topic. Curriculum materials will also be provided.

The site also features:

• Survivor stories;
• Collection of video and audio content;
• Learning tasks/intentions to engage learners in their study of this topic.

Interested in finding out more? Then come and visit the site at:

http://tinyurl.com/ma2qzss (Glow login details required)

CfE, Primary, Social studies, Technologies

BBC Learning Survey and Social Studies Resources

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A wee reminder about all the fabulous learning resources to support Curriculum for Excellence on the BBC.
BBC Scotland Learning are currently developing new CfE materials but are also looking at how they improve communicating with teachers about these resources. the BBC have put together a very short, multiple-choice survey that attempts to find out how they could be better at keeping teachers informed.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/997CYLT
Please share with your friends, neighbours and colleagues who teach. There’s also a box for further comments where any thoughts, gripes, requests or ideas are welcomed.

When you have completed the survey check out the revamped Bitesize site that has resources to support National 4, National 5 and Highers. BBC Bitesize

The fabulous new iWonder site, designed to ‘feed your curiosity’ has some brilliant thought provoking materials. Have a look at the various resources supporting History and the BBC’s Democracy Day.

The home of BBC Learning Scotland is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/

Primary, Skills, Social studies, Technologies

Save The Date: Social Studies and Digital Technologies Day

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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.

Primary, Sciences, Social studies

‘Our Environment Competition’ resources

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

Free Community Resilience Conversation and Networking Event

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Community Resilience Education – Free Conversation Day and Networking Event

09:30 (for 10:00 start) – 15:00, Tuesday 7th October 2014

Venue: Thistle Hotel, Millburn Road, Inverness, IV2 3TR

Education Scotland is excited to be hosting a second 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 the potential of community resilience as a rich and exciting context for teaching and learning. Key contexts for focus include flooding, severe weather and pandemic flu and the impact they can have on communities and how we can take steps to mitigate against their impact through educating learners.

We would also like to extend this event invite to school representatives (members of management teams, or teachers who have been, or are interested in engaging in community resilience education) to explore how we can take forward resilience education. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Conversation activities will provide delegates with opportunities to network and engage in professional dialogue in relation to developing more resilient individuals, families and communities. Selected examples of good practice will be shared through engaging presentations delivered by Education Scotland, Scottish Government, local councils and schools.

All interested delegates should register online by Friday 29th August 2014 at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N2F3TWC to confirm attendance and inform us of any special dietary or access requirements you may have.

If you have any further questions or your school is/has been involved in community resilience projects or initiatives and you would be interested in presenting at the event to share your practice with others, please contact Jennifer Moore at: Jennifer.Moore@educationscotland.gov.uk

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

Reminder – Climate Week 2014 (3rd – 9th March)

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Climate Week 2014 is fast approaching. It is Britain’s largest climate change campaign, with half a million people attending over 3,000 events each year.


Climate Week is about how people can live and work more sustainably, and you can run any kind of event or activity you wish. Here are some ideas:

Don’t forget to enter the Climate Week Challenge, a competition for small teams in schools and workplaces. It needs no preparation, is free and helps develop innovation and teamwork. There are one-hour and one-day versions – register here.

Also enter the Climate Week Awards for professional achievement that is helping to create a more sustainable society – click here to find out more. Deadline – February 14th 2014.

Run a Climate Week Swap event at which people can exchange clothes, books or children’s toys they don’t want any more – find out more here.

Please remember to register your events and activities with Climate Week – they will then be listed as an official part of Climate Week, encouraging others to take part and so growing the movement for environmental change.

CfE, Community Resilience, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Responsibility of All

Learning from extreme weather and flood news releases in Scotland

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Over the festive period, persistent rain across Scotland has taken its toll on communities throughout the country. Areas such as Ayrshire, Borders and Dumfries and Galloway have been hit particularly hard, requiring people having to be evacuated from properties or rescued from areas where rising river levels have placed people in immediate danger.

A number of emergency meetings were been held by the Scottish Government resilience team before the new year – many involving ministers. Local multi-agency response arrangements have since been initiated in a number of places across Scotland to support those worst affected and to mitigate the impact.

The Scottish Government newsroom has released several articles in relation to the extreme weather. The following links can be used to access more information:

Flooding response continues: http://bit.ly/197P775

Latest Weather warnings: http://bit.ly/JDuPGX

Vigilance urged as flood threat continues: http://bit.ly/1dIDnqW

Flood Threat Continues: http://bit.ly/KvSCcF

Weather – Scotland’s Response:  http://bit.ly/1cT46AY

More information can also be found from BBC news footage:

UK weather report – Sever warnings: http://bbc.in/1lvUobr

High tide in Ardrossan: http://bbc.in/KsWnim

Dumfries and Galloway flooding: http://bbc.in/1klRzeY

A full account of 2013’s global weather and links to climate change can be also be found at: http://bbc.in/KsNC81

For teaching and learning ideas related to extreme weather, flooding and climate change, visit the resources section of Education Scotland’s ‘Ready for Emergencies website’.

Also be sure to sign up for free flood warning in your local area through the SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) website: http://bit.ly/1cCJ2uB

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

Scottish Water – Play safe around water this winter!

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Scottish Water is reminding teachers and learners of the importance of playing safe this winter.

In recent years Scotland has witnessed some of the coldest winters for generations, so there’s no telling what the coming weeks may bring. Scottish Water is advising customers that they should remain vigilant and should not take any risks around freezing cold watercourses.

While it’s important that youngsters enjoy their school holidays and that people across Scotland take pleasure in the country’s beautiful lochs, rivers and reservoirs, it is also vital that they stay safe. Latest figures show 22 people died accidentally or from natural causes around water in Scotland last winter, but there are easy ways to prevent tragedies, and equipping yourself with the knowledge of what to do in an emergency can save a life.

For further details of Scottish Water’s recent release and advice on how to stay safe around water this winter, go to: http://bit.ly/1b4agsG

Community Capacity Building, Community Resilience, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Outdoor Learning, Sciences, Social studies, Young people, children & families

Climate Change in Scotland – Reflecting on Typhoon Haiyan and the impact of global climate change

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The number of people confirmed dead in the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan now stands at in excess of 4000, and a further 4 million people have been forced to leave their homes since the storm hit.

At a recent conference at the Royal Society in central London, the Prince of Wales claimed that the typhoon is a ‘direct result’ of climate change and that ‘the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events has increased, and is set to increase even further’.

In the face of global warming and it’s possible impact closer to home, Scotland has set world-leading greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and has plans in place for how to reduce further by 42% by 2020.

Adaptation Scotland provides advice and support to help ensure that Scotland is prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of climate change. Find details of key messages, climate information and adaptation suggestions in light of climate change in Scotland.

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

Reminder – Make your booking today! Free interactive urban flood model visits and workshops.

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Not to be missed! Heriot Watt University still have availability for schools interested in receiving a visit from the interactive flood model and flood experts.

For a flavour of what you can expect, see the flood model in action at: http://bit.ly/1dNfNIa

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/