News
Science tool
A software package that aims to guide pupils through conducting scientific experiments has been put together following trials in schools. The nQuire toolkit helps pupils to plan experiments, collect and analyse data and discuss results.
It is free to download from www.nquire.org.uk.
Sexual health
Sexual health charity Brook has produced a new resource for use with pupils with learning difficulties. Living Your Life had been developed in conjunction with Oak Field School in Nottingham, and is designed to be used in sex and relationship education in special and mainstream schools. For details, go to www.brook.org.uk
CPD for teachers
Optimus Education has published a book aiming to help teachers improve their classroom practice. Developing Outstanding Teaching and Learning by Julie McGrane and Rachel Lofthouse, aims to provide ongoing CPD based on Ofsted’s descriptors of outstanding teaching. For details, go to www.optimus-education.com
Art
From the abstract to the surreal
Worksheets, checklists and questions
This is a selection of visually appealing and practical resources for project-based work, lesson planning and group activities for studying artists’ work.
General resources include a worksheet on how to write about artists’ work, with a checklist that can be used as a reminder or revision tool (Mchandelkumar). Dangita_78 has provided a series of questions that can be used as prompts to help pupils think about art and a set of keywords and vocabulary for discussing art that can be used as the basis for a classroom display. Worksheets and a PowerPoint supplied by Suzanne Freeman aim to help pupils research an artist’s work and are divided into ability levels.
A PowerPoint on 21 artists who are still working provides examples of their work and quotations from each (artcrisis). Inthewilderness has uploaded images and quotes from Friedensreich Hundertwasser that can be used as the basis of a starter activity.
A natural forms project supplied by June21 includes images from Georgia O’Keefe and her contemporaries, while Jonathan Carney has uploaded a scheme of work based on the British illustrator, artist and designer Jon Burgerman.
Resources provided by St.Christophersschool aim to encourage pupils to develop their ideas and techniques by looking at the South African artist Isabelle le Roux, and a PowerPoint can be used to get pupils to analyse and discuss works of the surrealist artist Giorgio de Chirico (Greenford).
www.tes.co.ukartists-work
English
World Poetry Day
Literary activities with sound and video
Celebrate World Poetry Day on Monday with a selection of teaching resources assembled to engage pupils in reading, writing, speaking and listening poetry-themed activities.
Poet and performer Patience Agbabi presents resources from the English and Media Centre. The activities use two poems to explore imagery with ideas for creative writing, using poems from The Poetry Station, an online library of poems on video. The poems are illustrated by readings, animations and short films. There are opportunities to submit comments and contribute a video poem.
Also included are two new poetry collections from TES English. The first, WJEC Unseen Poetry, features e-booklets suitable for use with the interactive whiteboard, one with an embedded MP3 audio recording of each poem. This also includes examiners’ tips and sample exam papers, plus printable copies of the poems. Poems featured include works by Wendy Cope, Vernon Scannell and Norman MacCaig.
The AQA Character and Voice collection also includes e-booklets with audio files. It is divided into contemporary poetry, featuring authors such as Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy, and a heritage selection, with works by Robert Browning and Dylan Thomas, among others. Both collections include teaching resources, printable worksheets and a wide range of lesson activities and tasks for GCSE literature and all printable resources are available as both Word and PDF files.
Join TES English on World Poetry Day by tweeting your poetic phrases, lines and quotes to @tesenglish, including #poetrymash in your tweet.
www.tes.co.ukworldpoetryday
Citizenship
TrueTube videos
Useful clips about work and employment
This is a selection of videos and materials that have been shared with the teaching community by TES Resources content partner TrueTube. They cover a range of citizenship topics and issues, including useful clips and interviews which are excellent ways of promoting discussion and raising awareness.
Videos on work and employment include a young person who is uncertain about how to find work interviewing a range of people about their jobs - what they wanted to be and what they have ended up doing.
The pros and cons of a degree are highlighted in a video featuring interviews with Kevin, who went straight into employment, and Sharon, who went to university first, while another film shows scientist Dr Maggie Anderin-Pocock talking about being inspired by space at the age of six. She describes her job, the variety and why she loves it.
A collection of videos on gangs features interviews with young people who have been involved in gangs, including a rapper whose best friend was killed in a gang attack and a youth worker who has seen the effect of gang membership on young people. Each video is accompanied by ideas for class activities.
The Olympics are the subject of another set of films, including interviews with people in east London about the impact on their community, an examination of who will benefit from the games coming to London, and a documentary looking at whether the games will unite or divide the local community.
www.tes.co.uktruetube-citizenship.
