Using PE to boost cross curricular skills

scameron — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:11:46 +0000

CASE STUDY Combs Ford Primary School, Stowmarket, Suffolk

A Suffolk primary used the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s PE and School Sport (PESS) initiative to rejuvenate the entire school and boost the skills and independence of pupils with special educational needs.

Overview

Developing primary thinking skills with cricket

scameron — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:40:27 +0000

This Primary Know-How section from PE & Sport Today offers lesson activities for:

Year 3 and 4
Year 5
Year 6

Crispin Andrews first explains how striking and fielding activities can develop children's thinking skills

Lesson plans: incorporating the Olympics into the primary curriculum

scameron — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:28:08 +0000

This information pack offers lesson ideas for the primary curriculum that use the Olympics as inspiration. It includes:

Young children's thinking skills activity

scameron — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:38:28 +0000

The activity provides a teacher with two lists of words which, when they have chosen from them randomly, will describe a weird and wonderful machine (in this case a 'Teenager Waker'), which pupils are then asked to imagine and design.

This activity is taken from The Thoughtful Learner; a course for pupils in Key Stage 2 that helps learners begin to understand how they learn and how to improve their skills as learners, taking an original, vibrant and colourful approach.

Written by Toby Quibell

Cooperative learning approaches for developing team workers

jlee — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0000

So far in our series on ‘Team Workers’ we have looked at procedures involving:

Living Geography: mystery cards

scameron — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:16:15 +0000

Living Geography is a resource designed for geography teachers which draws from recent school-focused research, and supports teachers in developing a concept-based curriculum that is relevant, purposeful and exciting for young people.

Edited by David Mitchell

David acknowledges thanks to the teachers of Wycombe High School, St Ivo School and all involved in GA's Geography of Disease project who have developed these activity ideas.

G&T classroom strategies: Science

scameron — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:38:13 +0000

Maps from memory: the underlying theory

Maps from memory is based on research conducted into working memory – the part of our memory that stores and immediately processes information. Unlike long-term memory, which is a vast library of information, working memory is small and information can be retained and processed in it for only short periods of time.

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.3 Supporting Learning

scameron — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:28:35 +0000

Theme: Positive Relationships
‘Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or key person.’

Commitment 2.3 Supporting Learning
‘Warm, trusting relationships with knowledgeable adults support children’s learning more effectively than any amount of resources.’ Areas of knowledge covered:

How sports can engage students in maths

scameron — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:19:11 +0000

So Shane Warne has finally retired from first class cricket. The lure of the rupee and the poker table, not to mention family and many other business commitments, means that a year and a half after playing his last test match, the incomparable leg-spinner will not be turning out for Hampshire again.

There is a vast array of statistics on the web, so the study of sporting superstars like Warne can bring primary data handling projects to life.

The Life Project: developing resourcefulness

scameron — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:35:32 +0000

At the Life Project, we use a range of facilitated exploration techniques to give young people a strong understanding of themselves, their operating systems, their aspirations and the tools to make decision, set goals and plans that suit who they are and what they want to achieve. These methods are suitable for children aged 10 and over. They are also useful in work with adults.

Fostering thinking skills in early years

scameron — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:57:00 +0000

‘When children have opportunities to play with ideas in different situations and with a variety of resources, they discover connections and come to new and better understandings and ways of doing things. Adult support in this process enhances their ability to think critically and ask questions.’
(‘Creativity and Critical Thinking’, EYFS 2007)

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.2 Parents as partners

scameron — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:18:54 +0000

Theme: Positive Relationships
‘Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.’

Commitment 2.2 Parents as Partners
‘Parents are children’s first and most enduring educators. When parents and practitioners work together in early years settings, the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.’

Areas of knowledge covered:

Christmas maths resources

scameron — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:28:06 +0000

Download and print these lesson activities out for some festive educational fun.

Taken from The Primary Christmas File, edited by Nick Hutchins, David Playfoot and Martin Skelton (no longer published)

Student happiness resource: what works well for them?

scameron — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:01:39 +0000

It invites students to assess what works well for them in school by beginning a Happiness Log with a Happiness Diary and a number of activities, and includes templates that are ready to print out and use.

Written by Ruth MacConville

SEAL activities to promote emotional health and wellbeing

scameron — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:11:42 +0000

The activities explore perceptions of happiness, encourage new friendships and groupwork, explore prejudices and challenge stereotyping.

Written by Belinda Heaven

Christmas play for key stage 2: Mary of Ephesus

scameron — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:54:04 +0000

Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for primary school teachers.

Print out this play to use with your primary students. The play is flexible - there is room for creative development for both teachers and children.

Written by Fred Sedgwick

Edited by David Day

Traditional playground games

scameron — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:02:44 +0000

In the United Kingdom, young children can spend up to one and a half hours, 25% of their school day, in the playground.

These activities from 101 Playground Games are part of a toolkit of ideas to entertain children in what is often called their favourite part of the day. Aside from the enclosed traditional playrgound games, the book also offer 91 others under 9 other themes, including tag games, chasing and catching games, parachute games and singing and dancing games.

Written by Thérèse Hoyle

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.1 Respecting each other

scameron — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:38:56 +0000

Theme: Positive Relationships
‘Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person.’

Commitment 2.1 Respecting Each Other
‘Every interaction is based on caring professional relationships and respectful acknowledgement of the feelings of children and their families.’
Areas of knowledge covered:

Primary teaching resource: writing skills

scameron — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:38:45 +0100

Writing frames are an indispensable tool in any teacher’s repertoire of activities for developing pupils’ writing.

This free teaching resource includes a number of photocopiable worksheets for students, for them to fill in and work through, and also sets out ideas for class group work.

Written by Steve Higgins with Viv Baumfield and edited by David Leat

Creative thinking in literacy, art and design

scameron — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:49:27 +0100

Pam Smyth provides suggestions for enriching the curriculum in creative ways to help children achieve the National Literacy Strategy objectives.

Taken from The Literacy Coordinator's File, edited by Roger Hurn (no longer published)

Science enrichment activity: Crime scene

scameron — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:16:43 +0100

This 18 page lesson plan looks at forensic science, including forgery and chemical analysis.

It aims to capture the imagination of students by relating science to popular television programmes and films, by examining the different areas of scientific investigation applied when assessing crime scenes.

It also includes a 'student's notes' pack, with diagrams for students to examine fingerprints, and forms for them to print their own.

Written by John Senior and Angela Tuff

Maths resources: Sunshine Game and Rounders

scameron — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:52:17 +0100

Both these maths games encourage Year 3 pupils to understand numbers and the numbers system by engaging them in group activity.

Taken from Maths Games for ages 7 to 11, edited by Godfrey Hall (no longer published)

Maths resources: Addsub dominoes and Decimal Grand Prix

scameron — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:32:33 +0100

Both these maths games encourage KS3 pupils to understand complex addition and subtraction, utilising the laws of arithmetic and inverse operations, by engaging them in group activity.

Taken from Numeracy Games for Key Stage 3, edited by Barbara Clark and Godfrey Hall (no longer published)

Developing independent enquirers: how to structure enquiry

scameron — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:00:29 +0100

If students are to become increasingly independent in, and empowered by, their enquiry work, you will need to make the way knowledge is constructed – the process of enquiry – the focus of classroom activity and dialogue. This may be unfamiliar territory for some students, constrained as many have been by a National Curriculum and testing regime that has seemed to promote a ‘banking’ view of knowledge in which knowledge is ‘deposited’ in students’ minds. Many have learned to passively consume what they are taught – the products of o

Working with an International Primary Curriculum

scameron — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:04:18 +0100

What have chocolate fridge cakes and mixing vinegar and sodium bicarbonate got to do with volcanoes? They are just two of six weeks of activities, learning in a cross-curricular way, that were part of our volcanoes and earthquakes unit; one of the themed units of our International Primary Curriculum.

Lesson sequences: The Amazon rainforest

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:28:28 +0100

These lesson plans for geography teachers are taken from our 2005 Geographical Association Gold Award winner, Re-presenting Geography. The pack includes an essay planner, diagram cards and wall display plans, and could be used as part of a geography project on de-forestation. Written by Liz Taylor

Science enrichment activities

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:28:27 +0100

Sometimes a little chaos in the classroom is a good thing; it can encourage creativity and lateral thinking.

This resource includes nine activities to encourage inquisitive learning in science, taken from Enriching Science KS1 & KS2 which will be published in the autumn.

Written by John Senior

Geography lesson plan: Disposal of different kinds of waste

sara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:28:26 +0100

This exciting and constructive game will help you to successfully implement the geography curriculum in your school.

Pupils are encouraged to think about the implications waste disposal has on the environment and people. Pupils are also encouraged to decide how they would dispose of different kinds of waste. Cut-out cards are included with this resource for geography teachers.

Written by Rex Walford

Geography lesson activity: Should the rainforest be developed?

sara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:28:26 +0100

This is a geography lesson activity that is available to download, and has been tried and tested by Tividale High School in Sandwell and will help you to achieve these learning objectives:

Geography lesson plan: Caribbean fishermen

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:28:24 +0100

This game is a simulation activity for all key stages, based around the lives of fishermen on a small Caribbean island.

The game can be used with as few or as many students as desired, and can be managed by a teacher or self-operated by pupils.

Written by Rex Walford

Enrichment Activities: Entertainment in the summer holidays

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:44 +0100

This week’s primary enrichment activity explores activities that pupils could become involved with in their summer holidays.

This week's secondary enrichment activity looks at the safety of underage users playing violent video games.

***Primary Enrichment***

Holiday bumper fun

read more

Primary Assembly: Sounds of Music

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:44 +0100
Resources
It will be useful to have access to this web page:

Songs and clips of the film, or a workshop to mix your own video clips using a choice of music, stills and graphics, are available from the High School Musical website.

Introduction

read more

Secondary Assembly: School's Out!

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:21:44 +0100

Resources
A leader and two readers
“The End of Term and School Holiday Song” (below). This may be read by the assembly - or if you want to sing, the lyrics fit to the tune of “Streets of Laredo”.
Engagement
read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.4 Health and well-being

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:01 +0100

PiP Card Theme: A Unique Child
‘Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.’
Commitment 1.4 Health and Wellbeing
‘Children’s health is an integral part of their emotional, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing and is supported by attention to these aspects.’
Areas of knowledge covered:
read more

Meeting the community's needs

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:58 +0100
Background

read more

Students as learning partners (SaLP)

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:57 +0100

To me, one of the most challenging and revolutionary aspects of student voice has been students as learning partners (SaLP). After contemplating why this is the case we narrowed it down to the fact there has never been a precedent for this type of thinking before in school. Over the years we have seen versions of student councils, co-construction of lessons and schemes of work, mentoring/coaching but never before have we invited students in to observe and provide a critique our lessons.
read more

Building a curriculum for confidence and responsibility

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:57 +0100

Park View is an oversubscribed, DCSF-designated high performing school which has both leading edge and language college status. Our last Ofsted report concluded that ‘Park View is a very effective school. It is led with vision and energy. A strong focus on how well pupils learn shines through all activities.’

read more

Thinking skills in action

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:56 +0100
‘Children, if left to their own impulses, fill the air with perpetual questionings, every new thing being a mystery to them. Children should not be stinted, rebuked or dispirited, but allowed to develop a continuous elastic spirit, ever enquiring and ever extending to others the fullness of their own aspirations.’*

In 1816 Robert Owen presented this strong image of the thinking child. It neatly captures how adults should view young children who are learning to think and thinking to learn.

read more

Nurturing young writers

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:56 +0100
In January last year, I worked on an ambitious writing project with 30 Year 6 and 7 pupils from a wide range of Warrington’s schools. I have previously led creative writing courses and masterclasses, but this project was different; it was to extend over three terms and therefore include the period of transition to high school.
read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.3 Keeping safe

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:55 +0100

PiP Card Theme: A Unique Child
‘Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.’
Commitment 1.3 Keeping Safe
‘Young children are vulnerable. They develop resilience when their physical and psychological well being is protected by adults.’
Areas of knowledge covered:
read more

The road to a creative curriculum

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:54 +0100

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: For a step-by-step, chapter-by-chapter guide to developing your school’s curriculum, see The Creative Primary Curriculum.

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read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.2 Inclusive practice

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:52 +0100

PiP Card Theme: A Unique Child
‘Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.’

Commitment 1.2 Inclusive Practice
‘The diversity of individuals and communities is valued and respected. No child or family is discriminated against.’
Areas of knowledge covered:
read more

How to use ICT to support young children's learning

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:52 +0100

In 2005-06 the DfES funded 20 local authorities to research good practice in the use of ICT in the Foundation Stage, the results of which have been published on the DCSF website. This article summaries some of the good practice highlighted in this study to serve as an introduction to the vibrant and exciting full accounts available on the website.

read more

Creating an outdoor learning environment for the early years

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:50 +0100

‘A rich and varied environment supports children’s learning and development. It gives them the confidence to explore and learn in secure and safe, yet challenging, indoor and outdoor spaces’
(Statutory Framework for the EYFS commitment 3.3)
read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.1 Child development

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:49 +0100

PiP Card Theme: A Unique Child
‘Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.’

Commitment: 1.1 Child Development
‘Babies and children develop in individual ways and at varying rates. Every area of development – physical, cognitive, linguistic, spiritual, social and emotional is equally important.’
Areas of knowledge covered:
read more

Lesson plans for key stage 2: Olympic Island

jlee — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:47 +0100

In 2008 there was a great deal in the media about Beijing and the accompanying human rights issues. Closer to home, the 2012 London Olympics are generating lots of debate on sustainable regeneration v capitalist exploitation. Sport has always been a great vehicle to engage the interest of young people and the Games have the added bonus of a background that goes beyond athletic achievement, encouraging the development of a sense of social justice and moral responsibility, as enshrined in the citizenship curriculum.
read more

Helping students to become storytellers: games and activities

jlee — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:46 +0100

Telling stories to children builds their cognitive, social and emotional skills. It also lays the foundation for children to start creating and telling their own stories. In the process, they learn fundamental speaking and listening skills that will help them become confident and competent communicators, with resultant benefits for their wellbeing, behaviour and academic learning.
read more

Scheme of work: Thinking actively in a social context Year 6 science

jlee — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:45 +0100
Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC) is a tremendously powerful tool for reaching and extending all the learners in a mixed-ability class, especially the most able. I went on a TASC course led by Belle Wallace and listened to some fascinating presentations by teachers who had tried the method. I bought a TASC Wheel Problem Solving pack and waited for an opportunity to try it out. Go straight to the scheme of work.

read more

Activities

Activities for developing skills

Magic science lessons

Using PE to boost cross curricular skills

Developing primary thinking skills with cricket

Lesson plans: incorporating the Olympics into the primary curriculum

Young children's thinking skills activity

Cooperative learning approaches for developing team workers

Living Geography: mystery cards

G&T classroom strategies: Science

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.3 Supporting Learning

How sports can engage students in maths

The Life Project: developing resourcefulness

Fostering thinking skills in early years

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.2 Parents as partners

Christmas maths resources

Taken from The Primary Christmas File, edited by Nick Hutchins, David Playfoot and Martin Skelton (no longer published)

Student happiness resource: what works well for them?

SEAL activities to promote emotional health and wellbeing

Christmas play for key stage 2: Mary of Ephesus

Traditional playground games

Early Years PiP Cards: 2.1 Respecting each other

Primary teaching resource: writing skills

Creative thinking in literacy, art and design

Taken from The Literacy Coordinator's File, edited by Roger Hurn (no longer published)

Science enrichment activity: Crime scene

Maths resources: Sunshine Game and Rounders

Taken from Maths Games for ages 7 to 11, edited by Godfrey Hall (no longer published)

Maths resources: Addsub dominoes and Decimal Grand Prix

Taken from Numeracy Games for Key Stage 3, edited by Barbara Clark and Godfrey Hall (no longer published)

Developing independent enquirers: how to structure enquiry

Working with an International Primary Curriculum

Lesson sequences: The Amazon rainforest

Science enrichment activities

Geography lesson plan: Disposal of different kinds of waste

Geography lesson activity: Should the rainforest be developed?

Geography lesson plan: Caribbean fishermen

Enrichment Activities: Entertainment in the summer holidays

Primary Assembly: Sounds of Music

Secondary Assembly: School's Out!

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.4 Health and well-being

Meeting the community's needs

Students as learning partners (SaLP)

Building a curriculum for confidence and responsibility

Thinking skills in action

Nurturing young writers

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.3 Keeping safe

The road to a creative curriculum

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.2 Inclusive practice

How to use ICT to support young children's learning

Creating an outdoor learning environment for the early years

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.1 Child development

Lesson plans for key stage 2: Olympic Island

Helping students to become storytellers: games and activities

Scheme of work: Thinking actively in a social context Year 6 science