Sing Up

Sing Up is the Music Manifesto’s National Singing Programme. It’s a programme to make sure that singing is at the heart of every primary school child’s life. We believe that singing has power to change lives and help to build stronger communities.

Welcome to the web

“Welcome to the Web“, created by Kent teacher Mark Warner, is an highly praised interactive set of on-line resources which teach children (an adults) about different aspects of the Internet. The latest update includes speech.

The resources are in split into seven sections:

1. The Beginning – explains how to use the site.
2. Getting Started Online – teaches children about the basic concepts involved in the Internet (World Wide Web, Hyperlinks, Back button etc). This introductory lesson also gives valuable practice in visiting and navigating around web sites.
3. Staying Safe – encourages pupils to keep themselves safe online by following the SMART rules. Also tests their understanding usign interactive activities and fun quizzes.
4. Using Your Browser – helps people to learn more about their web browsers… what are the different features and how are they used?
5. Searching Online – teaches children how to search effectively, and keep themselves safe when doing so. Also identifies search engines which are particularly suitable for children to use.
6. Trying Top Tricks – finding information on the net is great, but it is also important to know how that information can be used. This section explains about printing, using the Find tool to locate specific information within web pages, copying and pasting text, and saving images from the web. Also includes information about copyright and why it is important to credit others when you use their work.
7. The Welcome to the Web Challenge – When the children have completed all of the sections of Welcome to the Web, they can complete this exciting challenge. It requires them to use all of the skills which they have learnt to catch the creator of a destructive computer virus!

When visitors complete the challenge, they are able to print a personalised certificate to show their competence in using the Internet.

Originally posted on the Kent ICT Blog

TopicBox

What is TopicBox?

TopicBox is a free directory of over 2,000 educational websites, categorised into subjects. Just click a subject in the list above to get started!

TopicBox is great for teachers who need lesson resources and parents looking for ways to help kids at home. All of the sites they link to are safe enough to let children browse for themselves.

Curriculum for Excellence. Experiences and Outcomes

LTS have updated their Curriculum for Excellence web site. They have published online the experiences and outcomes for CfE. The experiences and outcomes are an essential component of this new curriculum. They signpost progression in learning and set challenging standards that will prepare learners well for the complex future environment that they will inhabit.

New Web Site

Lochaber High School and Dyslexia Lochaber have collaborated to create a new website which provides an audio revision service for pupils with dyslexia which we believe to be a first in Scotland. The podcasts are now proving to be useful for all pupils in the build up to the examinations.

The website makes full use of RSS feeds, podcast subscriptions alongside more traditional streaming or downloading of audio files, enabling pupils the freedom to choose their preferred method of access.

World Maths Day

The students play against each other in mental arithmetic games. Students are captivated by the fact that they are playing in real time. Each game lasts for 60 seconds, students can play as many games as they wish. The questions are appropriately leveled for different ages and abilities.   This is a truly unique world event and a fantastic way to promote numeracy within your school. The organisers claim that past results show that students will make significant improvements in their mental arithmetic skills and have fun in the process.

..and it’s absolutely free of charge. You can register your class here.

Free teaching resources

Free-teaching-resources.co.uk lists resources, lesson plans and worksheets produced by top UK charities, museums & more. They have been reviewed and are ready for teachers to use.

The free teaching resources, lesson plans and work sheets cover all school curriculum subjects. There are write ups on each resource and a link to where you can get the lesson plan from.

Teaching Ideas for Primary Teachers

A site with a range of free resources for primary teachers

National Galleries of Scotland Art Competition

National Galleries of Scotland Art Competition for Schools 2009

School children are invited to enter this very popular annual competition, now in its sixth year. Full details can be viewed on the National Galleries of Scotland website.

There are six categories, each with a different theme:

Category A Nursery, theme: Food is Fantastic

Category B Primary 1-3, theme: A Super Duper Animal

Category C Primary 4-7, theme: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Category D S1-S2, theme: A Sense of Place

Category E Special Education Schools, theme: Look Up, Look Down

Category F Group Work

Pupils are asked to view a small selection of works of art online. Teaching notes and discussion ideas are provided. In support of the new Curriculum for Excellence there will be suggestions on interdisciplinary approaches. Pupils are invited to make their own artwork inspired by the theme and works of art. The closing date is Friday 8 May 2009.

Online Digital Science Comic

A new digital comic called, Selenia, has been created by the Science Communication Unit at the University of the West of England to help primary school children learn about scientific enquiry and changing materials. The comic, which is in digital format can be used on a whiteboard in the classroom. The comic and resources are all free.

In the stories, Selenia, the schoolgirl heroine travels from her alien planet to Earth where she makes two friends. Through her adventures, children develop an understanding of the properties of materials – such as the difference between gases, solids and liquids. The teaching resources, which accompany the comics, are designed to build children’s understanding of scientific processes.

The stories are full of action, magic and fun and are designed to give children the opportunity to explore science in unconventional ways.

The comic can be downloaded free from: www.sciencecomics.uwe.ac.uk