Category Archives: Sciences

Our Cloud Revise

1. Our Cloud Revise

This site is our main site for revision. It includes links to SQA timetable and exam guides, as well as BBC Bitesize and Scholar.

It also features links to some superb school websites with tons of revision material developed by departments. These are from all over Scotland, and not just Perth and Kinross.

They are listed under CfE subjects and more suggestions are needed. The link to the section is here: http://enoodlez.com/pkrevise/revision-sites-from-around-the-web/

So, any department websites you know of or other revision site suggestions, please add a comment to the site or email mailto:pcurrie@pkc.gov.uk and we will include it.

Go there now

Our Cloud Share-Pinboards for video and image sharing

Our Cloud Share

A mini Pinterest?

This is probably best described as basically a mini-Pinterest, if anyone is familiar with that site. Pinterest is used to gather images and videos from all over the web and they are displayed on Pinboards.

This site is an Education version for Cfe but works in the same way, with users able to add a wee bookmarklet (button type thing) to their internet bookmarks bar and then browse the web and click the button to pin stuff to topic boards on our site.

It makes it so easy to share videos and images and pave the way for ‘flipped’ learning. It is fully responsive, meaning that it is designed for iPad/tablet and smartphone display and it enables revision and study anywhere at any time because of that.

What is there so far?

We have added almost 300 pins so far and that included videos on just about every aspect of Higher English courses as well as loads of Maths videos that basically talk users through worked solutions to Maths questions from SQA past papers.

We have also done a few literature boards on school favourites like Of Mice and Men and Edwin Morgan poetry and it is already shaping up into an amazing collection of content.

How can you use the site?

You can use the site just to look at what others have added by browsing the homepage to view the most popular items or by clicking on a CfE category to view what has been curated under subject areas

Why not sign up and add your own stuff?

Anyone can join the site and add some boards and pins of their own choosing. Just find video (you tube and vimeo) and images around the web and then click the bookmarklet that you drag to your bookmarks bar and the rest is magic. You will all be familiar with different areas of the curriculum and could find videos specific to your courses and then pin them to boards you create.

We will end up with a smashing resource

This would really help the site as a whole, as we would end up covering loads of topics and have a massive collection of web content that has been gathered and curated by teachers who know what they want for learning in Scottish classrooms.

It is really quite easy!

We promise you it is easy to do and, though we are hoping to knock a video together to demo it as well, we are confident you will manage. You can sign-up with Facebook and Twitter or email and then you will be able to add boards, drag that wee share button to your bookmarks bar and start pinning to your boards.

What sort of things should we pin?

We need Primary and early years stuff, especially, mainly because we have added a lot of secondary content so far, but basically any video (You Tube and Vimeo) or image from a website can be added. Though it is only images from websites, the images then take you to the website when you click on them so it is a handy way to save websites for later use and organise them under topics.

How might teachers use the site?

Well, we imagine a primary teacher planning to teach the second world war as a topic. She would be able to gather images from all over the web and pin them to a board she creates called WW2 or something.

There are bound to be videos and images galore for that and the end result would be a smashing collection that displays beautifully and is there for the next time she teaches it. Pupils can use the board for homework and they can sign up to add stuff they collect on the topic.

A great way to share pupils’ creativity

Pupils could also create their own images and videos to demonstrate their learning and then pin them to the very same topic board afterwards. How awesome would that be? There’s even a built in comment and rating system for collaboration and feedback.

The boards are also public, so they can be viewed by everyone else as well, even users who just want to look at the site content and not actually create boards of their own or add any pins. Space? Vikings? Victorians? Any topic/area of the curriculum can be a board. You just choose a grouping for your content and then add pins to it from all over the web.

FAQs?

Why not just use Pinterest?

Well because it is too busy with other content in broad categories and doesn’t focus on the curriculum. Learning would get lost and browsing Pinterest would have everyone distracted by all its mass of other content.

Why not just use Glow?

Have you ever tried to add a video to Glow? It is far from easy. This is not replacing Glow either. This is a resource. Glow provides tools.

Why do we need this site?

Because the future is visual. Videos and images have to be the future of learning content  because of the move towards mobile devices. Most people now browse the web from mobile devices, rather than desktops. Text does not work so well on mobile devices so information has become visual.

What if a teacher wants to add a Powerpoint?

We would like to add this functionality but, for the moment, the site only supports videos and images. However, you could change it into a video and add it to You Tube or add the separate slides as images.

What if someone includes something rubbish?

We have added a ratings system to the site so that users will be able to rate every pin and add comments to correct misinformation or respond to the resource. Popular content will then display first.

Give it a go

Khan Academy

A free world-class education for anyone anywhere.

The Khan Academy is an organization on a mission. It’s a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere.

All of the site’s resources are available to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology. The Khan Academy’s materials and resources are available to you completely free of charge.

Here’s a video introduction to the site and how it came about:

And here’s a video on basic addition that shows you the kind of content the site has:

And here’s a topical video on ‘Les Miserables’ which explains the context for the film:

Ted Ed

Inspirational Videos for schools

About TED-Ed

TED-Ed, TED’s education initiative, is an online library of short, captivating videos that engage inquisitive learners all over the world.

TED-Ed’s commitment to creating lessons worth sharing is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas. Within the growing TED-Ed video library, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed platform.

This platform also allows users to take any useful educational video, not just TED’s, and easily create a customized lesson around the video. Users can distribute the lessons, publicly or privately, and track their impact on the world, a class, or an individual student.

Here’s an example of a video from TED Ed on spelling:

And another one on the periodic table:

There are many, many more available through Ted ed and the main Ted site

National 4/5

Education Scotland has been working with ADES to co-ordinate development and publication of exemplar learning and teaching materials for staff to use when working towards a qualification at National 4 and 5.

These materials are being developed from a variety of sources, with many being developed locally in schools and local authorities. Materials will be available for all N4 and N5 qualifications by spring 2013.

The materials provide suggestions on approaches to teaching and learning which will promote development of the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills for each subject and level.

Twig videos

A Dynamic Teaching Resource

Here’s the Our Cloud video guide:

click the big round pink logo to go straight to Twig>

  • Over 800 outstanding 3-minute films on science, maths and geography
  • Tailored to the Curriculum for Excellence at levels 2, 3 and 4
  • With keyword search and curriculum links
  • Researched and written by academics, producers, scientists and mathematicians
  • Footage from the very best film archives
  • Supported by teaching & learning packs with diagrams and quizzes
  • Bringing subjects to life with stunning visuals, music and clear graphics – not just outdated programme clips

Daily What News

The Daily What News is a top quality Glow resource that your account gives you access to.

A news service just for schools in Scotland, The Daily What News provides a sophisticated and interactive news service for Glow users, with articles written by a specialist news content editor especially for a schools’ audience. Articles are published every school day and there are two versions of each article. In addition, three articles each week which are published in Gaelic.

The articles are arranged in news categories and are tagged according to CfE subjects and experiences and outcomes. The articles are archived and searchable from the main homepage, giving users a rich learning resource that offers learners the opportunity to make meaningful and relevant connections across different curricular areas. Many of the articles feature an interactive activity that provides Glow account holders with a fun way to extend or cement users’ learning on the story’s topic. Users can also use their Glow logins to take part in forum discussion topics for each article.

Teachers will find the Teachers’ Area Blog an excellent resource. Beneath each daily news article there is a link to a blog post that provides Glow users with a wealth of lesson ideas and suggestions for several curricular areas from the one news story. The posts are written by a specialist education content editor who links the news story to CfE outcomes and experiences and provides links to other interesting and relevant content.

A recent article in the Sport category focused upon Rangers’ fans’ trip to Manchester and how their behaviour was better than on a previous occasion that had led to trouble in the city centre. The article would surely be a popular one with young people and, because they are known for their reluctance in reading, it is of note that it would be of particular appeal to boys. There is even an interactive activity attached to this article which invites learners to test their knowledge of SPL club nicknames. What better way to engage reluctant learners in purposeful and relevant learning? In theTeachers’ Blog, lesson suggestions were offered in a number of CfE subject areas (Social studies, Health +Wellbeing, English+Literacy) and links were provided to video content and discussion stimuli that would encourage even the most reluctant learner to engage with such relevant and meaningful subject matter.

This is, of course, just one example. There is already a good stock of interesting content on the site, with stories ranging in topic from the floods in Pakistan, for a World focus, to how young people made an impression on the Scottish Parliament, for a story that is closer to home. Each school day sees another story added to the archive, so we are building a wealth of content that Glow users can benefit from.

Whatever the story’s subject-matter, it is always the case that it will be written in a manner that is appealing and relevant to our learners. Add to that the interactive activities and lesson suggestions in the teachers’ blog, and you might just find thatThe Daily What News is just what you have been looking for!

Here’s an Our Cloud video guide to give you a guided tour: