Science website

This looks good:Science Sparks website

How big are things in comparison to other things?

This amazing website allows you to zoom in and out to compare the size of different items in the universe.
The demo belows lets you see - you can slow, stop or zoom in and out as you wish (I made this demo using the screenr website which lets you record whatever is on your screen. If you listen carefully you'll hear my daughter colouring in in the background!).

Planning Science Lessons - Using the Tig Tag World website.

I really can't recommend this website highly enough - after using it last term, I'm now finding it invaluable for helping to teach science. Tig Tag World has background info for teachers, lesson plans, practical activities, quizzes, and more. It's a one-stop place that saves me researching anywhere else.

To give you an idea, the screenshots below show how I accessed what I needed for P6 this term.

We're covering one science outcome:

By observing or researching features of our solar system, I can use simple models to communicate my understanding of size, scale, time and relative motion within it.

(SCN 2-06a)

The website is arranged as a mindmap, firstly with the 3 main headings:

After clicking on Physical Processes, the map extends into these topics:

 ...which then refine further into these:

So, this is the Solar System page. From here I can show videos, photographs and quizzes to the class. By clicking the purple icons on the bottom right, I can access teachers materials.

This shows the teacher's materials:

And from here I got everything I needed to begin a forward plan, and there is plenty to extend the children's learning in whatever direction they wish to follow.

To access Tig Tag World, you'll need Glow log-in details. If you 'd like to look at the site but no longer have yours, I'm happy to share mine until we can get Glow passwords reset.

It might be worth pointing out here, that the next place I look for resources for the children to use in the ICT suite is the amazing topicbox.net - much more useful than Googling millions of websites to find something appropriate for research or games.

Stimulus for Writing

This website has a virtual tour of the grounds of a wedding venue; it would be great as a prompt for writing about Spring or going for a woodland walk. You can rotate the view in every direction, so can look at the sky too. I find using a virtual environment like this can be useful when writing paragraphs - each view of a different item or scene can be written as a different section.
Rather than continuing on down the path, children could write about where the path might lead and make a descriptive piece into a story if they like.

Infant classes - ideas for small world/ creative play areas.

This blog has lots of lovely ideas for stimulating children's play - definitely worth a look. Uses a lot of natural resources which could be easily sourced.

Easter Video Clips

Last year, I put up several Easter resources on this blog here.

Below are some of videos from the BBC Class Clips website which explain each aspect of the Easter story, what the symbolism means and how Christians celebrate Easter. Liberton Kirk features in these!

The clips are:
Clip 290 - Palm Sunday
Clip 676 - The Last Supper
Clip 677 - The Crucifixion and Peter's Denial
Clip 678 - Good Friday and Easter Eggs

Depending on how you follow on from watching these, and the level to which you want to take any discussion means that you could adapt the use of these videos for all ages and stages.

Useful Websites

A collection of websites recommended by staff at Liberton for worksheets, printable activity and display resources, and interactive whiteboard resources.

Mrs Pancake - a range of printables, mainly for infant/ middle but some good lettering for displays for all stages.

Communication 4 All - a huge variety of printable activities, games and display resources, also some PowerPoints for teaching.

Teachers Pay Teachers - a small amount of free worksheets, then pay to subscribe for more.

Top Marks - interactive resources and website links.

Topic Box - links to a massive range of interactive teaching and learning resources on every subject. Fantastic.

Teacher's Pet - printable display and activity resources

Twinkl - worksheets and display resources, some free but not everything.

Any others? Please comment below.