Monthly Archives: November 2012

Interdisciplinary learning

Learning is a box of chocolates!

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Ruth Thomson Health and Technology Department

A great example of Inter-Disciplinary Learning (IDL) and collaboration between subjects can be found in the joint Maths and Health & Technology (H&T) activity currently being run with S1 pupils. In H & T pupils are making chocolate truffles while in Maths they are learning how to design and create presentation boxes for the truffles.

However, as I was to discover through observing three different S1 Maths lessons, pupils are being exposed to a wide range of concepts, skills and experiences not just in relation to H&T and Maths, but in literacy and business too. Continue reading Learning is a box of chocolates! →

Teaching Pedagogy

Wizard Gene

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Laura Watson Biology/Science Department

Variation is one of the topics which has been introduced into our S2 Science course. This unit of work involves the pupils learning about cells, DNA, genes and PGD. One of the activities that is carried out is the Wizard Gene experiment which I was introduced to on a SSERC CPD event.

This activity gives the pupils the opportunity to carry out work using gel electrophoresis which simulates DNA profiling.  The pupils thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the experiement which is shown in these pictures.

Interdisciplinary learning, Skills, Teaching Pedagogy

SSERC Novel Materials

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Catherine Kerr Faculty Leader Science

We have introduced SSERC novel materials into our S1 Materials unit. The resources are simple to use and the pupils enjoyed discovering their unusual properties. The photographs and video illustrate pupils working. Pupils said that they found the materials ‘interesting’ the thermochromic sheet ‘awesome’ and ‘loved’ the spring! Let us know what you think!

Interdisciplinary learning, Teaching Pedagogy

Use of USB Microscopes (NOT just a Science resource)!

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Catherine Kerr Faculty Leader Science

A ‘USB microscope’ can be an interesting and fun tool for pupils in school. It can be used in a variety of ways including; children working in groups or individually, or simply something being demonstrated by a teacher on a large screen in front of the class. Equally as effective, the scope could be taken out doors with the use of a laptop. I have used this with my class to view very small seeds, fabric and materials and they loved guessing the object.

Teaching Pedagogy

Pass the Parcel – AifL

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Laura Williamson Modern Languages Department

I recently observed a colleague in the Modern Languages department using a rather novel and fun way of assessing pupils’ knowledge. The activity, as the name suggests consists of a box that is passed around the room while music plays. The box is filled with sentences to translate, when the music stops the pupil holding the box must open the box and pick out a random sentence to translate.  This activity works well because it is fun and the pupils do not realise they are practising their language work. It also helps the teacher avoid always picking the same pupils to answer whilst helping more shy pupils to be become more confident.

This is a great activity for revision and consolidation. The sentences can be of varying difficulty and tenses to suit all learners. The chosen phrase if translated unsuccessfully or answered incorrectly can then even be passed to other pupils, this promotes peer learning. This type of activity can be utilised in other subject areas by substituting the sentences with questions about specific topics.