I scanned a range of websites including http://www.hope-education.co.uk/ where i was able to compare different prices to find the best cost effective matter. I chose to order each by 4 to begin with for my cupboard and rated them all on a scale from 1-3 of importance.
Cross curricular learning in Music;
Cross curricular learning has great importance and allows new materials to be enriched within more than one subject, enhancing knowledge and skills across a wider curriculum. Here, i will create links between music and other curricular areas.
FOCUS- Comprehension
One of the most important, symbolic links is through Literacy. One of many examples of how this interlinks is through studying lyrics of a song. A well-known song to the class, which may have been studied as a class, is the perfect opportunity to pick apart and unravel to introduce relevance, meaning and develop literacy skills. By analysing lyrics to a song, the class are able to comprehend the meaning to each line and verse and create a clearer visual of what the song is expressing. The class can split into table groups or mixed groups and given a verse each. With poster paper in the middle of each table, the class have the chance to depict each word and explore its meaning and why the artist may have chosen that word. They can illustrate this with pictures to help portray the meaning too. The class will then collaborate and draw in all their analysis and together form the story to the lyrics of the song to work out where, why, when and how the author has created this piece. Another connection with literacy would be through creating a sound picture or story based on their class novel. A class novel should be engaging and gripping. If the class are enthused and attached to the novel, this task will be enjoyable.
FOCUS- Awareness/ fitness/ fine motor skills
Another subject which interlinks is P.E/Dance. The teacher can plan a sequence of lessons surrounding previous knowledge of rhythmic notation lengths which can be experimented with and manipulated through P.E. With a loud instrument, the teacher can create different varying lengths of music which orders a clear instruction to the children; e.g jump, run, skip, walk. This will develop their fine motor skills within p.e and allows the children to enhance their fitness levels. This can be developed and enhanced through instructions becoming small dance routines and eventually a real piece of music can be added and a collaborated dance can be created as a class.
FOCUS- Around the World
In Geography, the cross-curricular themes and activities would involve: Slavery and spiritual songs, folk music from different countries, exploring patterns, performing a song from Kenya. This links to geography through locating different countries on a globe, the class collaboratively can use the IWB so identify areas and countries which may vary in musical tradition. E.g The USA, Hungary, Ireland, and Mali. The children would use this activity to prepare their following learning which is to recognise the differences in music and end with creating their own piece of music, either individually or in groups to present back to the class- a piece which represents them, their home, their environment and their childhood.
FOCUS- Weather
Another subject link is Geography where weather can be interpreted into musical knowledge. The class will get into groups and must use expressive words to describe different weather types, eg pitter patter, rumble for rain, wind, thunder. This allows the children to combine their prior knowledge of musical sounds and how to express them with their understanding and knowledge of weather forms by correlating them to create an image/sound.
FOCUS- Environment
My final subject link is through science, where the cross-curricular themes and activities would be using: The poem The tree in season, by Robert Fisher. This allows the seasons of the year to be rehearsed and combined with global warming and its current impact on the world. It also involves the water cycle and the arctic and antarctic and the effect of global warming on these regions. This can be assessed by the children creating solutions and ways to prevent this. The links to science are, how a tree changes through the seasons, looking at parts of a tree, seasonal changes and how water can change state.
Clearly, music can be an interdisciplinary subject which connects with a range of other subjects.
Consider all aspects of the performance – choreography, staging, lighting, sound, costume. Write a personal response to the performance.
Evidence: Submit your response electronically.
I watched the Swan Lake piece which is 1 hour and 55 minutes long by Tchaikovsky. It was a very interesting piece however the introduction and opening stood out to me most which was 3 minutes 18 seconds in to 5 minutes 49 seconds. Whilst watching this video I was able to take notes. I watched the sequence 6-7 times and re-read my notes, adding in any extra pieces I hadn’t noticed.
Physically visit an art gallery, exhibition or museum. Select a piece of work and develop a project for the primary classroom based on your study, research and understanding of the piece and its context.
Evidence: your portfolio MUST contain evidence of your attendance (e.g. ticket stub) and direct study of the piece eg your own notes and photographs, diagrams or scanned in rough sketches. It is essential that you see and engage with the piece directly as well as in reproduction.
I have chosen this image from the Katy Dove exhibition held in Dundee where I was able to preview a range of her artistic work. This simple piece shows an array of colour whilst showing the difference between neat work and a more abstract piece.
Project- Shade and colour in Nature
I would begin by taking each individual colour and focusing on relevance to the outside world within each colour. This connects the children’s understanding to real life and allows them to feel the links with the learning. For example take the colour green which has connotations of nature and purity, which they can relate to plants, growth and health. The children could begin to connect two colours together, for example the orange and red could be an exotic flower found on the stem of a plant. I feel an important part of Art is appreciating colour and its connections to where we find the colour for younger pupils. This task will allow for better understanding as an introduction into colour which can lead to activities further on.
Examples of learning can be taking these individual colours and mixing two together to create new colours. This can progress to taking three colours and mixing them. As the task goes on, white and black can be introduced to create different shades of the colour. These new colours can fit within nature and the children can recognise where these colours can be found and the connotations of each.
Another exercise can be taking these colours and new shades to create their own colour palette which can be developed to creating a picture representing nature. This picture will show their findings of colour and range in shades and tones.
By the end of this project, the children will be more comfortable with colour and mixing colours to create new ones. They will be confident with varying tones and shades and have the ability to match them to the outside world and nature.
Here are the pictures and evidence from the exhibition of Katy Dove;
After having an input with Derek at the beginning of Semester 1, my vision of digital tools in the classroom changed. I have always been aware that technology can enhance learning in the classroom, but this input really struck me as a developer to manipulate these tools and use them as much as possible to my advantage.
Derek showed the class a recent blog post he created based on the advantages and availability with digital tools and new ways to back up topics and learning using these. Every tool and link he showed us amazed me. One in particular was ‘OCEARCH’, a website created by scientists that allow the public to track and view sharks around the world and can follow their journey to different places. Ultimately allowing further questions to arise within the classroom to back up the learning; Why are these sharks travelling such large distances? What is there that attracts them? Where are they going?
These questions prompt the children into further learning and reasoning and allow them to learn completely new facts and ideals. This resource is perfect to engage the class into new findings.
Another resource was the use of ‘Globe Viewer’ and ‘Ancient Earth Globe’. These tools would be used in Geography to allow pupils to understand the concept of understanding the scale and gain a greater understanding of the shape of planet Earth and how the earth is continuously changing. Having the representation in 3D form allows the children to see the earth as not a smooth sphere, but as a rough, real world which may be something quite difficult to explain without the use of a visual 3D representation.
A Geographical link i found amusing was ‘The Wilderness Downtown’ link where you are able to type in your postcode, and a video is created where you are able to see developmental changes in society around your area you grew up in. This brings relevance and clear understanding to the learning and allows children to become engaged as it relates to them specifically. As the children are able to see the very streets of their childhood, it allows the feeling of their childhood, time and memory to be portrayed.
Through progression, the children’s next steps can involve logging into google and going onto maps. They can ‘create map’ based on any area they wish, this may be where they grew up. By visually seeing this map, pupils are able to pin specific places and memories to areas which they can go back to add on. This creates a sense of scale and brings geography into technology.
I feel technology and digital tools has the power to engage and involve pupils within their learning to an extra level. Digital resources can be used to enhance the learning and create depth into the topic. It can really push children into understanding the learning and can be edged beyond subject boundaries. These resources can be used to back up interdisciplinary learning between relevant subject and be used to explore what the naked eye can actually see.
As part of our Tutor Directed Task, we were asked to explore data and analysis through a questionnaire. We had to consider;
This could vary, we focused on what is your favourite flavour of crisps?
This opened up a larger discussion as differentiation is a huge factor.
In early years, you could begin by using tally marks. This strategy opened up a number of considerations including understanding the actual concept of tallying, ensuring they are evenly spaced and using square paper to enable this. This would progress into recording the information and data into a graph- preferably bar. Again, this opened up a variety of factors to consider as pupils must understand the need for a title, to ensure the scale is appropriate and have the same increments, and have a horizontal and vertical axis. The graph could have pre-made flavours ready for the pupils to fill in the data to prevent confusion or getting it wrong. The early years could also work in a group collaboratively and share ideas.
This contrasts to the upper years who could use tally marks initially too. They could then progress by recording their data in a line graph. They could work through this activity individually to ensure they are capable of doing the work by themselves. This would then create a discussion where groups could compare graphs. Individuals could then continue to work with percentages and answer questions, for example- What percentage of pupils preferred flavour 1? This would link in another concept of Mathematics as well as data.
As a group we discussed the progression from tables and graphs from the easiest to the most challenging. This would be a good indication and guide to use for working with all levels of primary. Here is the list and order we came up will collaboratively:
The experiences and outcomes;
MNU 0-20b-I can match objects,and sort using my own and others’ criteria,sharing my ideas with others.
MNU 1-20b- I have used a range of ways to collect information and can sort it in a logical, organised and imaginative way using my own and others’ criteria.
MNU 2-20b- I have carried out investigations and surveys, devising and using a variety of methods to gather information and have worked with others to collate, organise and communicate the results in an appropriate way. link to data and analysis and show the progression through the stages.
MNU 2-20b demonstrates a level of investigating which further shows a link between Mathematics and Science as in Science a massive factor is the problem solving skill. Furthermore using skills in investigating which connects the two subjects together.
This concept of data and analysis can be used throughout all levels of primary as long as the correct level and differentiation is used and organised to the benefit of the individuals.
After an interesting input last week about pre-schooling in Sweden and how it contrasts to Scotland, i have become very interested in the topic and feel strongly on the matter. Due to statistics and results proving how drastically better pre-schooling is in Scandanavian countries, why are we not changing our pre-schooling experience in Scotland for our future generations?
Scandanavian countries have long preschool traditions and have roots in Froebel’s kindergarten and a pedagogy built on Rousseau and Pestalozzi. As a system they have strong incentives and therefore have fantastic financial support for families with young children. Early childhood education is also financed by the state. Staff have motives which include little form of learning and they believe play is paramount. This allows their 7 year old starters to have a relaxed and playful start to schooling in comparison to the Scottish system where 5 year olds are thrown into the deep end and forced to learn skills which they may not be ready for.
A typical classroom in Sweden represents a a family environment in the form of a family kitchen. They are required to take their shoes off inside and learn to set the table. Pupils have the chance to be taken into pre-school as early as 6am where they join staff and other pupils to have breakfast around the kitchen table. They enjoy eating the natural, fresh, healthy meals provided and sing songs around the table to start the day positively. Resources and equipment are also accessible for everyone which includes cups, coats and wellies etc which the children are welcomed to use. Contrastingly to Scotland, children address their staff members by their first name which promotes a friendlier approach whereas Scotland keep a professional distance between the pupil and teacher by referring to all members of staff as Mr or Mrs.
Throughout the day at pre-school, a variety of different activities take place for natual learning where they are not pressured or forced to learn, but instead they are having fun whilst discovering new and exciting things. Children and staff take walks to lakes and other new places as they feel it is important to be outisde where they can run, jump and excercise in a joyful, fresh environment. In the classrooms and around the kitchen table are adult size chairs so that children are matched to the outside world dimensions compared to classrooms in Scotland where the chairs are small and therefore show the pupils that they are young and inferior to the teacher. There is no structure or formal teaching where expectations are high of developing evidence of their learning. This alternates to the Scottish system where structure and timetabling is very important and used day in day out in order to retain a set standard and routine.
A massive difference between the two countries approach is trust. A trait which should be adopted and known to have in every school and pre-school around the world. Swedish pre-school do not have government inspections due to the amount of trust and respect given. Parents trust their childrens staff as professionals to carry out their job successfully unlike in Scotland where government inspections take place due to a lack of trust. Followed by parents constantly questioning teachers methods, approaches and techniques which creates tension and a distant relationship between them.
This is a small glimpse into the benefits and differences between the two systems. I feel the Scandanavian system fits and binds better with the way in which children should grow up; having fun; experiencing new things and learning naturally. I will continue to research into this debate and hope that Scotland eventually look into adopting a new approach to mirror a Scandanavian style of pre-schooling.
I chose Film Studies as my elective in order to possess a broader horizon on the making and analytical perpective of films. Through the course of my elective i hope to gain a sound knowledge of film and will use this in the classroom where necessary.
I feel film and relevant clips can be used to an advantage through teaching as it can be a visual tool to engage the class prior to the lesson. It is a chance to settle the class and allow them to engage with the lesson to follow. Short clips can also be used to back up evidence or teaching points throughout the lesson. The clip can be used for higher order questions where the pupils can follow the clip thoroughly and take notes on the important points. Furthermore, leading to discussion points and class debates where pupils can use their thinking skills. It can also be a helpful tool for visual learners as they are able to visualise the learning.
Film Studies is a broad topic and one in which i find fascinating. As a class, pupils are able to learn about the sound, position and lighting, to the genre, themes and editing. Post watching films or clips can also lead to active learning through role play. Pupils can get into small groups or partners and reinact a chosen scene in order to link into Expressive Arts through Drama. They can also create comic strips on the scene or clip they watched further linking into Art and Design. This allows the teacher to have an overview of how well the class listened and how well they understood the clip whilst being a cross-curricular link.
A critical skill used throughout highschool in language is critically analysing books, clips and poems. Therefore using short clips and introducing an analytical aspect to the activity has the ability to help with smoother transitions into the language department from primary to secondary. This is an activity for the upper stages, mainly primary 7, where they can learn how to spot different techniques and provide relevant feedback.
As my elective progresses i hope to add to this short article and provide further comments on future learning and development.
