Speak as they find
A book mapping the 233 languages spoken by pupils in London schools has been published by Cilt and the Institute of Education. Language Capital is available from www.cilt.org.ukshop.aspx, priced #163;40.
The appliance of science
A two-day science fair for secondary pupils takes place in London next March. Science Live! includes demonstrations and talks aimed at 14 to 18-year-olds and will be at the Science Museum. The event is organised by Adaptable Travel. See www.adaptabletravel.co.uk
Blunkett helps put new HQ on the map
The Geographical Association, the organisation for geography teachers, opens its new headquarters in Sheffield today. The premises launch will be attended by former education secretary David Blunkett.
Art
What the lesson is about
This looks at the work of Matisse and is part of a 36-week scheme on a number of artists. It is aimed at Year 8 pupils.
Aims: pupils will -
- understand line and its relation to Matisse’s work;
- create a string print design influenced by Matisse;
- develop painting skills by adding oil pastel lines to watercolour pictures;
- develop their printing skills by creating a monoprint.
Getting started
Show the pupils a selection of images of Matisse’s work. Discuss the use of lines in the pictures and ask the pupils to create a picture using lines from different paintings and drawings.
Get the pupils to create a string print, by selecting a Matisse image and sketching out the design on cardboard, then sticking string along the lines, cover with a layer of PVA glue and leave to dry. Print the images and display the work to the class, asking them to comment on the finished product.
Taking it further
Get the pupils to draw an A4 version of a Matisse image and then paint it with watercolours. Once the paint is dry, ask them to add detail lines using oil pastels. Explain the monoprint process, where ink is transferred from a plate to paper or canvas. Ask the children to create a monoprint of a Matisse image.
Where to find it
The complete 36-week scheme, which also looks at work by Georgia O’Keefe, Timothy Sorsdahl, Klimt, Van Gogh and Picasso, was uploaded by Victoria Richardson and can be found at www.tes.co.ukart-scheme
English
What the lesson is about
This looks at how to read conflict poetry as an introduction to a scheme of work on war poems. It is aimed at key stage 3 pupils.
Aims: pupils will -
- understand and comment on how poets use literary devices to create images in the reader’s mind;
- understand how the structure of a poem can affect its meaning;
- understand how a poem can tell a story.
Getting started
Ask the pupils to write down all the words they associate with war. Explain that they will be looking at poetry either produced during a war or about war, and that one of the main themes of war poetry is the futility of war.
Tell the class there are a number of ways to interpret and analyse a poem and this lesson will look at three of them: images; structure and features; and purpose.
Show the pupils Suicide in the Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon (available on the link below). Ask them to focus on the first stanza and consider what sort of images the poet is trying to create. Is the tone positive or negative? What picture is built in the mind?
Taking it further
Explain that structure relates to the way the poem is laid out on the page. Ask the pupils to look at any gaps in the poem, the length of the stanzas and the rhyme and rhythm of the poem. Is there anything unusual about the way it is written? What do they think the indentation of the text represents?
Tell the pupils that poets will often use literary devices to create images. Explain the meaning of similes, metaphors, personification and alliteration.
Where to find it
The complete scheme of work was uploaded by krista_carson and can be found at www.tes.co.ukwar-poetry-sow. It is part of a collection of activities on war poetry on TES Connect that can be found at www.tes.co.ukremembrance-war-poetry
Design amp; technology
What the lesson is about
This looks at reading a food label and is taken from a term-long food technology scheme of work. It is aimed at Year 8 pupils.
Aims: pupils will learn -
- healthy eating models relating to a balanced diet;
- factors relating to a balanced diet that affect food choice;
- how to take account of these factors when planning, preparing and cooking food.
Getting started
Explain how to read the nutrition table on a food label. Discuss traffic-light labelling, where red means high in food we should avoid and green means low in food we should avoid. Watch the Eatwell video on traffic-light labelling, available on the link below or from www.eatwell.gov.uk.
Compare two cans of vegetable soup. Ask the pupils to read the labels and decide which is healthier and why.
Taking it further
Get the pupils to read the nutrition tables on four breakfast cereals and work out the traffic light colours for each nutrient.
Which cereal is healthiest? How much does the healthiest cereal cost, compared with a can of cola and a chocolate bar?
Ask the pupils to use the Eatwell plate (available on the link below) to design a healthy eating plan.
Where to find it
The complete scheme of work, comprising 18 lessons, was uploaded by JSharp72 and can be found at www.tes.co.ukfood-technology-sow.
