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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Primary PSHE Archives - Collins | Freedom to Teach</title> <atom:link href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/category/primary-pshe/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/category/primary-pshe/</link> <description>Freedom to Teach | articles and information by teachers for teachers</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:36:12 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-GB</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2</generator> <image> <url>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/Collins_favicon_redband_png-1-147x150.png</url> <title>Primary PSHE Archives - Collins | Freedom to Teach</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/category/primary-pshe/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height></image> <item> <title>Taking a whole-school approach to wellbeing</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/taking-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:47:31 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Citizenship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Early Years]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secondary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Activities]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wellbeing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2022/03/24/taking-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Wellbeing is more than just mental health. It encompasses physical wellness, a sense of belonging, social inclusion and basic needs … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/taking-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/taking-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing/">Taking a whole-school approach to wellbeing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wellbeing is more than just mental health. It encompasses physical wellness, a sense of belonging, social inclusion and basic needs such as food, safety and shelter. If we consider this broader sense of wellbeing it becomes clear we must consider it to for our pupils to achieve and be successful. But what does wellbeing look like in schools and how can we meet the needs of our pupils?</p><blockquote><p>“<em>The true measure of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children – their health and safety, their material security, their education and socialization, and their sense of being loved, valued, and included in the families and societies into which they are born.” – <a href="https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf">UNICEF</a></em></p></blockquote><h4><u>Wellbeing in a modern curriculum</u></h4><p>PSHE education can play an important role in supporting wellbeing. Covering wide-ranging topics such as nutrition, sun safety, healthy friendships and self-respect allows pupils to gain essential life skills that can support them not only now but in the future as well. A spiral curriculum that develops skills and knowledge can ensure that wellbeing is considered holistically rather than purely emotionally. Equipping pupils with the understanding that diet and movement plays a part in social and emotional wellbeing helps them to explore the self-care activities that work for them.</p><p>Increasingly, I have heard of schools enforcing after-school mindfulness sessions for staff. Some may find this a supportive tool, but for others it can also be a source of stress or anxiety; staff may have preferred to go home to their own source of self-care, such as hobbies, family, reading or socialising. This is the same for the pupils too; a range of options can be a great way to help them discover the things that make them feel good.</p><h4><u>The home-school partnership</u></h4><p>As teachers we understand the power of strong home-school partnerships. Setting homework that supports new experiences, taking time out and finding joy in the outdoors not only helps to support pupil wellbeing but can be eye-opening for parents and carers as well. Some homework examples might include self-care bingo, a nature walk reflection, yoga, decluttering or baking.</p><p>Having a choice of homework opportunities takes away the prescriptive approach to wellbeing. Each pupil can explore what works for them, and their family if they want to get involved too. Remember that it’s important that the activities are accessible for all and don’t require expensive resources or ingredients.</p><h4><u>Emotional literacy and personal development </u></h4><p>In order to support mental wellbeing, pupils need to have opportunities to develop their emotional literacy. This means being able to identify and manage their emotions and feelings. Not only can this support pupils to become aware of how they feel at different times of their lives, but it can also be supportive when they are navigating relationships, fall-outs with friends and empathy for others.</p><p>At primary, emojis can be a great way to encourage emotional literacy in an inclusive way. Getting pupils to choose emoji stickers when reading to show how characters might be feeling at different points in the story can be a great way to identify or label emotions. Simple matching games that link emotion words to facial expressions or creating a sudoku puzzle from emoji faces can also develop pupils’ emotional literacy in a fun way. For older pupils, some examples might include journaling, active listening skills activities and exploring body language. The Collins wellbeing activity packs are a good place to start – download yours at <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/pshe-student-wellbeing-packs">collins.co.uk/wellbeing</a>.</p><p>It is important for pupils to consider physical emotions as well and how they make their bodies feel and change. For example, sometimes when people feel embarrassed their cheeks might feel warmer and blush. When they feel angry, they might feel their heart beating faster. Try asking them to identify examples from stories or scenarios if they don’t feel ready to share their own experiences.</p><h4><u>Inclusion in the classroom</u></h4><p>As social creatures it’s no surprise that a sense of belonging is an important factor in our wellbeing. Creating a classroom that is inclusive for all can be an essential part of wellbeing for pupils. Taking part in pupil feedback, group work, discussion based on co-created ground rules and being welcomed at the door in the morning are all good examples of the ways in which an inclusive classroom can help every pupil to feel they are valued, empowered and respected. Citizenship education can also support social inclusion and wellbeing by introducing the idea of working together for a common cause. Is there a school-wide or community project that encourages pupils to develop their local area or their connections to others?</p><p>In order for any wellbeing approach to be truly effective for pupils, we need to consider it in a holistic way and get all stakeholders on board – from the pupils themselves, to parent/carers, governors, community figures, supervisory staff, multi-agency workers and many more. A whole-school approach to wellbeing must be more than a tokenistic offer and should instead address wellbeing by considering student voice, policy development, curriculum design and pastoral care.</p><p>Healthy, happy pupils are the goal!</p><hr /><p><em>Victoria Pugh is a senior lecturer at the University of Worcester, specialising in PSHE and RSE. She has 15 years of experience in early years, primary and secondary education including UK and international curricula. She is the series editor of <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/primary-pshe-my-life">My Life</a>, an award-winning, great value series of PSHE resources for primary settings. </em></p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/category/primary/">For more blogs on primary education, click here. </a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/taking-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing/">Taking a whole-school approach to wellbeing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Putting wellbeing at the heart of catch-up learning</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/putting-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-catch-up-learning/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:03:47 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wellbeing]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2021/03/17/putting-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-catch-up-learning/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Positive classroom climates that strongly support wellbeing have never been needed more than now, as children return to schools again … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/putting-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-catch-up-learning/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/putting-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-catch-up-learning/">Putting wellbeing at the heart of catch-up learning</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Positive classroom climates that strongly support wellbeing have never been needed more than now, as children return to schools again this month. Despite the monumental efforts of teachers navigating remote and blended learning, the topic of pupils ‘catching up’ on the past year is on the lips of senior leaders, teachers, families and the media.</p><p>Whilst pupils do need to ‘catch up’ with academic learning, it is equally important to catch up on the social and emotional development opportunities that classroom learning provides. We all want the children in our classes to reach and surpass their potential to attain the best results they can – but learning is much more than being exposed to information. Humans are social and emotional creatures, and I believe that joyous, deep and profound learning exists where the environment supports the complexity and humanity of learning.</p><p>Taking time to build a positive classroom climate so that children feel safe, supported and happy to learn is key. Post-Covid, it will be very easy to focus on results and progress, especially in these days of accountability, data collection and looming Ofsteds, but creating a classroom climate that is open, trusting and wellbeing-focused really does pay dividends – both for children’s learning and happiness, as well as teacher happiness. It will also be easy, with the enormity of the curriculum in front of you, to feel rushed into starting ‘proper work’. Don’t!</p><p>So how can we as teachers foster a safe and positive classroom environment to support wellbeing?</p><p><strong>Build routines </strong></p><p>Use the first weeks to set the protocols for regular classroom meetings and circle times. We’ve all been through a totally unexpected and vastly different year, and the worlds of many of your children will have really been rocked. Pupils will need space and time to compute it all.</p><p>Keep these classroom meetings or circle times informal, allowing all children to have their say. The children can set the agenda by putting the details of issues they want to discuss in a box before the meeting. After the experiences of this year, I’m sure there will be lots of issues they will want to discuss. A class of mine once spontaneously formed a class circle at the beginning of the school day after a bereavement: it was their safe way of coming together for comfort and support.</p><p>Don’t forget to build periods into the day for everyone to relax and focus their minds. Mindfulness has been shown to improve wellbeing and reduce anxiety.</p><p><strong>Rebuild friendships and get to know each other again</strong></p><p>When asked what they’ve missed about school, children cite friendships. People of all ages have missed the social side of their lives; however, children may be feeling a bit anxious and possibly insecure about meeting friends again after such a long time. Revisit PSHE units and focus on what it means to be a friend – for staff and pupils!</p><p>Ultimately, when you start lessons again, remember that it’s everybody’s learning. During lockdown, the learning of some of your class will have been far broader and more enriching than others; some children will have really consolidated and mastered areas of learning, and others won’t. Help pupils to teach each other, sharing responsibility for learning. You’ll have mastery and greater depth as an outcome! Include mini-plenaries to accentuate the positive, refer to school values and learning attitudes, and allow children who are showing positive learning attitudes to recommend others. Creating and nurturing a growth mindset is key to children’s ‘catch-up’ and future development.</p><p><strong>Encourage respect and collaboration</strong></p><p>We know that children need to feel safe in their learning spaces to admit mistakes and ask for help, and there will be more anxiety around this than ever before. Some children may well be experiencing feelings of inadequacy upon their return to the classroom, which will hamper confidence and progress. Ground rules can be incorporated into every subject so that children feel more secure and supported in their learning.</p><p>Classroom ground rules could include:</p><ul><li>Help each other</li><li>No making fun of others</li><li>No interrupting – everyone should have their say</li><li>Don’t gossip about what goes on in the classroom and what people say</li></ul><p>You could also organise children into small collaborative groups, inclusive of gender and ability. Give them time to create their learning mottos and share their learning strengths and worries – and change the groups again after a few weeks. Making learning tasks collaborative, fun and interactive with plenty of opportunities to talk and laugh will help children learn to work with others, really make progress in this area, and you’ll also create teams!</p><p><strong>Be that teacher</strong></p><p>Finally, the children in your class are out there thinking about school and their friends, but they are also maybe a bit anxious about seeing their teacher: you are a hugely important figure who will feature so powerfully in their lives for the remainder of the school year. Be the teacher who builds the happy classroom where all children feel supported and valued.</p><p>Don’t forget it’s the teacher’s interactions and reactions that set the tone and the mood. <strong>You </strong>make the weather! Build your classroom climate first, and it will lead to higher standards and better outcomes for everyone.</p><p> </p><p>By Karen Thomson, <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/primary-pshe-my-life">My Life</a> author, experienced primary school teacher and PSHE consultant.</p><p><span id="more-1340"></span></p><h5>More from Karen Thomson</h5><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_574173421-scaled-3.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-8776" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_574173421-scaled-3.jpg" alt="" width="261" height="177" /></a></p><p class="entry-title">Empowering children through home learning</p><p><span style="color: #d15355;"><a style="color: #d15355;" href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/empowering-children-through-home-learning/">Read here</a></span></p><p> </p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/Twitter-Primary_1200x675-1.png"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-8958" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/Twitter-Primary_1200x675-1.png" alt="Wellbeing packs" width="265" height="149" /></a>You might also be interested in our Primary Wellbeing Pack</p><p class="hero-image-block__heading">Free tools and resources for primary and secondary to support mental and physical wellbeing</p><p><span style="color: #d15355;"><a style="color: #d15355;" href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/pshe-student-wellbeing-packs">Find out more</a></span></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/putting-wellbeing-at-the-heart-of-catch-up-learning/">Putting wellbeing at the heart of catch-up learning</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Anti-bullying: is it enough?</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:26:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secondary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Anti-bullying]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Anti-bullying week 2020]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Collins]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Collins Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[collins primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[current affairs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[school policy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[secondary]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2020/11/13/anti-bullying-week/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>As we approach another Anti-Bullying Week, I question whether anti-bullying is still the most appropriate phrase. 2020 has been the … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/">Anti-bullying: is it enough?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As we approach another <a href="https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week">Anti-Bullying Week</a>, I question whether <em>anti-bullying </em>is still the most appropriate phrase. 2020 has been the most challenging of years, and school-based bullying has been going on since schooling itself began, but it seems curious that we persist in describing what we don’t want, rather than what we do want, especially if we restrict this to 5 days out of 190.</p><p>I was once teased by an uncle, who suggested that I should stand in the corner until I didn’t think about an elephant. If our focus persists in terms of describing how we should <em>not</em> treat other people, we will remain stuck, just at a time when so many children and young people – after various burst bubbles, self-isolations, lockdowns and the rest – need us to re-establish the systems, routines and benefits that school brings. Calm, purposeful learning interspersed with excited vibrant activities is the stuff of memories and what great schools do. So many of our pupils – not just those towards one end of a disrupted attachment continuum, or those with ADHD or autism – welcome and rely on systems that they know and can trust and help to keep them safe. Is this just an adult perspective?</p><p>A couple of years ago, I was reminded in an article that was, I think, in <em>The</em> <em>Guardian</em>, of how brutal some children’s lives can be. The journalist suggested that if you popped out of the office (how pre-COVID is that?) for a cranberry and brie baguette (so it probably was <em>The Guardian</em>), the chances are that nobody would steal your sandwich, stamp on your jumper and throw your bag on top of the bus shelter… just because they could. For some of our pupils this remains an ever-present threat. Is this sort of damaging unpleasantness likely to be addressed by an anti-bullying week?</p><h5><strong>A re-focused policy</strong></h5><p>I’ve had the privilege of working with some wonderful schools over the last few years, who have upgraded their ‘behaviour policy’ for a ‘relationships policy’, based on shared values which have been mutually developed and agreed. Such a shift takes time and effort, but changes the narrative from discipline and punishment to discussion based on high expectations and a shared understanding of what it means to be a caring, contributing member of our learning community, during school times and beyond.</p><p>I mentioned above ‘school-based bullying’. Although the research suggests that this is where mean comments and naked aggression may start, this can all too frequently become omnipresent – online. Although schools have a statutory responsibility to deal with online and out-of-school incidents, sanctions and punishments (especially in times of mind-boggling fluctuations of rooms, and staffing, and illness and absence) seem slightly anachronistic.</p><h5><strong>Fostering healthy relationships</strong></h5><p>We know that trusting, positive, affirming relationships can ameliorate some of the impacts of trauma and adverse childhood experiences. So: creating a climate of respect, even when we disagree; curiosity, that persists in wondering what might be causing that speech, reaction or distress; love, even when somebody is being completely unlovely; and compassion to help others whose struggles we do not yet know, seems a more thoughtful, nuanced and intelligent response. It is also likely to be more effective. Should we not be thinking about a kindness week, a respect or inclusion month or even weaving this into our school mission statement that describes how people in our learning community expect and do treat each other?</p><p>Surely one of the saddest things in this, the most challenging of years, would be for us to fail to learn the lessons offered from this pandemic: for the need for calm, caring and compassionate but resolute responses to the way we treat each other.</p><p><em>John Rees is an experienced PSHE consultant and is passionately committed to improving the learning and life chances of young people. </em></p><p><em>Collins has a range of exciting and flexible resources to support you in the development of qualities such as kindness and respect in PSHE lessons. <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/pshe-student-wellbeing-packs">Click here to view and download <strong>free</strong> samples</a> of our award-winning series <strong>My Life </strong>for primary and <strong>Your Choice </strong>for secondary schools. </em></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/">Anti-bullying: is it enough?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>What to expect as children return to school</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/what-to-expect-as-children-return-to-school/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2020 16:27:36 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2020/09/07/what-to-expect-as-children-return-to-school/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>These are uncharted waters. No-one has ever planned for the wider opening of schools following a global pandemic with the … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/what-to-expect-as-children-return-to-school/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/what-to-expect-as-children-return-to-school/">What to expect as children return to school</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>These are uncharted waters. No-one has ever planned for the wider opening of schools following a global pandemic with the reach and scale of COVID-19.</p><p>In addition to making arrangements for physical safety, staggered starts, bubbles and sanitisers and so on, we should also be preparing to support the emotional wellbeing of all members of the school community, without which learning becomes all but impossible. As a trainee teacher reminded me: <a href="https://www.exploringthecore.com/post/maslow-before-bloom">Maslow before Bloom</a>! Just as with physical safety, we all have a role to play in supporting the emotional wellbeing of ourselves, each other and our pupils.</p><p>What do we know about the children as they return from lockdown and the summer holidays? Some may initially struggle returning to routines and expectations, although most will be thrilled to see you and each other. Other children have flourished in lockdown, happy to virtually engage and avoid the hurly-burly of school.</p><p>Some will have suffered family bereavement, or the stress of serious illness. Others, including some staff, may have endured different losses: furlough, unemployment or isolation from others. Irrespective of the loss, some will be experiencing grief, and how young people respond to those feelings will differ in their behaviour, capacity to concentrate and responses to everyday frustrations.</p><p>Alarming numbers of children will have been trapped in loveless homes, suffering neglect or witnessing domestic violence. Some of these children, for whom school may be their only haven, have not been seen by professionals for almost 6 months.</p><p>We know that the trauma of such adverse childhood experiences can affect learning, physical and emotional health for many years, but we also know that caring, compassionate, steadfast relationships with adults who care for them can ameliorate some of the worst effects. All pupils benefit from these approaches to help them find, or regain, a sense of security and educational purpose.</p><p>Some schools may need to refocus on safeguarding and enhance pastoral support: there will be a need for patience and kindness to ourselves and others. Responding with compassionate trauma-informed approaches will do no harm and help those most at risk.</p><p><a href="https://elearning.creativeeducation.co.uk/courses/support-a-safe-successful-return-to-school-using-the-swan-framework/">The SWAN framework</a>, described by Dr Pooky Knightsmith, might be a useful metaphor to help us through these turbulent waters. Every teacher will be familiar with the first part – being calm and serene on the outside even if we are scrabbling like fury underneath!</p><p>We know that for children to learn and flourish, they have to be sure that adults will keep them safe and emotionally regulated, which can only happen when adults are physically safe and emotionally calm. We can acknowledge our concerns, but becoming distressed will upset children, who are then more likely to be distracted, disruptive or emotionally dysregulated.</p><p>The S of Swan is about <strong>safety</strong>, for children and ourselves. Adults should do everything possible to avoid infection—washing hands regularly, wearing masks when appropriate and socially distancing whenever possible—and should model these behaviours for children.</p><p>W is about being <strong>warm</strong> and <strong>welcoming</strong>. Showing pupils that we are pleased to see them (even if we feel the claustrophobia of being stuck in a bubble) is going to be really important to promote the mental health and emotional well-being of all members of the school community. Hugs and handshakes may be off limits but a smile, kind word or a patient, compassionate response to disruption will help to reduce emotional distress and support re-engagement with learning.</p><p>A is <strong>accepting</strong> that we are ‘all in it together’. Politicians may have hijacked the phrase, but it is essential that we are patient, kind and considerate with each other and to ourselves. Sometimes, children and colleagues will react disproportionately to issues or incidents. Teachers are very experienced at responding appropriately to pupils’ distress, but there may be times to support colleagues, perhaps just asking ‘Are you ok?’ in that gentle enquiring tone, and following this up with and equally supportive, ‘Are you sure?’ or ‘Really?’. Making time and space to listen to colleagues’ concerns could be crucial.</p><p>N is for <strong>nurture</strong>. It is essential that we find ways to provide emotional support for pupils but that we nurture our colleagues—and ourselves. The start of term probably shouldn’t be too bad, but we know that as the days shorten, people become tired and the usual round of coughs and colds drains people’s energy, we need to look after ourselves, and each other. A kindly word, a cup of tea, a ‘thank-you’ note or even offering to do a break duty can you a long way to supporting our colleagues. While we are doing that, we also need to be kind to ourselves. Sometimes ‘good enough’ will have to suffice. We must remain positive, even when faced with changing arrangements if they prove inefficient, or repeated local, or possibly national, lockdowns.</p><p>The statutory expectations for relationships and health education provide excellent opportunities for circle time activities to make sense of the world, promote expression and encourage turn-taking. There are also expectations about learning about hand washing, viruses, and, perhaps one day, vaccination, which should be seized upon to promote learning and safety.</p><p>These days will eventually pass. Educators will continue to do what they have always done, to give their best for the children they love, even when they are at their most unlovable. Although many adults will feel anxious as a result of the ongoing crisis, children will know that the adults who care for them can cope and manage uncertainty, perhaps by being a SWAN, even in these uncharted waters.</p><p>John Rees, <a href="https://twitter.com/PSHEsolutions">@PSHESolutions</a></p><p>John Rees is an experienced PSHE consultant and is passionately committed to improving the learning and life chances of young people. John contributed to the <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/pshe-student-wellbeing-reconnection-packs">Collins Reconnection Packs</a> – free tools and resources to help you support wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/what-to-expect-as-children-return-to-school/">What to expect as children return to school</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>All about Rio: Lesson Ideas</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/riolessonideas/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 05 Jul 2016 16:26:20 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary Geography]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brazil]]></category> <category><![CDATA[carnival]]></category> <category><![CDATA[football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Olympics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[rio de janeiro]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sport]]></category> <category><![CDATA[travel]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2016/07/05/riolessonideas/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>This summer the Olympics, the biggest sporting event on earth, arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Major sporting events are a … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/riolessonideas/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/riolessonideas/">All about Rio: Lesson Ideas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This summer the Olympics, the biggest sporting event on earth, arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Major sporting events are a great excuse for finding out about different countries and cultures and the Olympics are no exception. Through these activities, pupils will gain an understanding of life in Brazil and how it is linked, almost inextricably with sport.</p><p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7004" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_360069854-1-300x200.jpg" alt="shutterstock_360069854" width="300" height="200" /></p><h4><strong><u>Activity One – Rio Knowledge Web</u></strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><p><strong>To find out and present information about a city or country</strong></p><p><strong>To display information in a way that is interesting and informative</strong></p><p>Many classes starting a new topic complete a ‘knowledge harvest’ – in other words, what do the pupils know before we start the topic? This activity takes this idea and expands on it throughout the topic.</p><p>Begin with a blank display space in the classroom, or better still in an area where all pupils can see it. Put up the title ‘Brazil’ and add photographs of aspects of Brazil to stimulate interest. If you want to direct the activity more, choose a picture from aspects such as sport, environment, language, music, food, culture etc. Ask the pupils what they know about Brazil and to write it on a Brazil shaped piece of paper and do a picture to accompany it – you can use the templates which accompany this set of activities.</p><p>You can now build this up over the weeks of the topic, asking the pupils to summarise each lesson on Brazil to add to the display or ask them to research aspects to use, maybe for homework.</p><h4><strong><u>Activity Two – Dance and carnival</u></strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 2 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><p><strong>To understand why Catholic countries like Brazil host an annual carnival and why Brazil has the biggest carnival in the world</strong></p><p><strong>To understand and replicate the themes of the carnival along with its music and dance</strong></p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7005" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_184636781-1-300x200.jpg" alt="shutterstock_184636781" width="300" height="200" /></p><p>Read the story of Jesus’ time in the desert prior to his entry into Jerusalem at Easter. Ask the pupils how they think Jesus would have felt beforehand knowing that he was going to spend forty days and nights alone, without company or food. What might he decide to do on the day before his ordeal? Explain that today, all across the world Christians (and Muslims too during Ramadan) spend a part of the year fasting to emulate Jesus, in the case of Christians or for Muslims, to celebrate the holiest month in Islam when the Qur’an was revealed to Mohammed.</p><p>Before this period, Christians, like Jesus might have felt, want a way to have one last day of happiness before the ordeal begins and so we have the fun of Mardi Gras and carnival time. Plan a school or class carnival – it needn’t be for the start of Lent as the Rio Olympics are equally likely to be preceded by a carnival party. Summer is the perfect time for carnival in England as seen in the late summer Notting Hill Carnival. Invite parents and friends along to watch and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.</p><p>To complete this activity, look at some of the costumes and masks worn by the participants. Choose a theme, perhaps a different one for each class – you could even base it around the key aspects of Brazil such as sport, culture, environment etc. Make masks and costumes and use PE and dance lessons to learn Samba, the national dance of Brazil for the carnival itself.</p><p>You can get some ideas from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1rQ7iuOYO0">this video</a> of the Samba Schools which take part in the carnival.</p><h4><strong><u>Activity Three </u>– Brazil and Football</strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 2 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to understand why Brazil is renowned for sport and in particular football</strong></p><p><strong>To compile a biography of some of the great Brazilian sporting legends</strong></p><p>Brazil has been acknowledged as the world’s greatest footballing nation with a record five World Cup victories but why are they so good at football? Ask the pupils to find out about leisure activities in Brazil, the climate and how this affects what people do and the environment which affects where people take their leisure time.</p><p>Show them <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4GLzRwp96Y">this video</a> of ‘altinho’, a pastime for young Brazilians. Ask them to tell you what this shows about opportunities and how hard they practise their skills. Add this information to your Brazil display.</p><p>Some of the world’s most famous footballers have hailed from Brazil, Pele being a case in point. Other well-known footballers include Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. In this activity, the pupils will produce a biographical fact file for these footballers. Use the accompanying activity sheet to help the pupils plan their research. Ask the pupils to find out whether there are any other fields of sport where Brazil has dominated (Formula 1 Motor Racing is one, with personalities including Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet)</p><h4><strong><u>Activity Four – Living in Rio – design a guide for new arrivals</u></strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to decide what information would be necessary for a person coming to live in Rio</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to present the information in an appropriate format for a person coming to live in Rio</strong></p><p>Ask the pupils to imagine they have been asked to compile a leaflet for people wanting to live in Rio. What things would they need to know?</p><p>To get an idea of what to include look at the <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Rio_de_Janeiro">Wikitravel</a> page on Rio but remind the pupils that the information they need to include will be different for those. Ask the pupils to tell you what they think might need to be included and compare this with what a visitor to the Olympics would need to know. From the list, ask the pupils to make a leaflet suitable to be given to new residents of the city. The leaflet should include images as well as text. The activity could also be completed as a website or as a PowerPoint.</p><figure id="attachment_7006" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7006" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-7006" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_188781878-1-300x199.jpg" alt="Rio de Janeiro" width="300" height="199" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-7006" class="wp-caption-text">Rio de Janeiro</figcaption></figure><p>Looking for non-fiction books to engage your pupils with the upcoming Rio Olympics? Collins Big Cat has a selection of books that will excite and inspire your pupils. Click below to find out more about each book.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.collins.co.uk/product/9780007428373/Collins+Big+Cat+-+Becoming+an+Olympic+Gymnast%3a+Band+18%2fPearl"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-7013 alignnone" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/064844-fc50-1-211x300.jpg" alt="064844-fc50" width="211" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.collins.co.uk/product/9780007336364/Collins+Big+Cat+-+My+Olympic+Story%3a+Band+15%2fEmerald"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-7012 alignnone" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/050749-fc50-1-211x300.jpg" alt="050749-fc50" width="211" height="300" /></a></p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.collins.co.uk/product/9780007231201/Collins+Big+Cat+-+The+Olympic+Games%3a+Band+13%2fTopaz"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-7011 alignnone" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/035938-fc50-1-212x300.jpg" alt="035938-fc50" width="212" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.collins.co.uk/product/9780008163822/Collins+Big+Cat+-+Leisure+and+Entertainment+since+1900%3a+Band+13%2fTopaz"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-7010 alignnone" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/6a448471-252f-4bc6-9048-88ed02301def-1-212x300.jpg" alt="6a448471-252f-4bc6-9048-88ed02301def" width="212" height="300" /></a></p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/riolessonideas/">All about Rio: Lesson Ideas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Teaching activities to celebrate Euro 2016</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/6977-2/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jun 2016 08:55:50 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary Literacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary Maths]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[PE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[physical education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[speaking and listening]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sport]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sports day]]></category> <category><![CDATA[world cup]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2016/06/10/6977-2/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Fans of English football will recognise that this summer marks the 50th anniversary of England beating Germany in 1966 to win the World Cup. Fifty years on, England, with their array of footballing stars, will be seeking a Euro win after winning all of their qualifying matches. This series of activities will help your class get into the excitement of Euro 2016 whilst learning new skills and knowledge.</p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/6977-2/">Teaching activities to celebrate Euro 2016</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Fans of English football will recognise that this summer marks the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of England beating Germany in 1966 to win the World Cup. Fifty years on, England, with their array of footballing stars, will be seeking a Euro win after winning all of their qualifying matches. This series of activities will help your class get into the excitement of Euro 2016 whilst learning new skills and knowledge.</p><figure id="attachment_6979" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6979" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-6979 size-medium" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_403518871-1-300x199.jpg" alt="Euro 2016 starts on 10th June 2016. " width="300" height="199" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-6979" class="wp-caption-text">The Euro Cup 2016 starts on 10th June 2016.</figcaption></figure><p> </p><h4><strong><u>Activity One – Match Commentary</u></strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>To be able to write for different audiences</strong></li><li><strong>To be able to use the appropriate tone and style of voice for different situations</strong></li><li><strong>To be able to condense sentences whilst not losing their meaning</strong></li></ul><p>We often ask pupils to comment on what they see in pictures or read in books but it’s not often that we ask them to describe what is happening in ‘live action’. In this activity, the pupils will write and record a commentary for part of a football match.</p><p>Use a recorded clip of a football match at Euro 2016 – it needn’t be long – anything from one to five minutes. Before you play the clip to the pupils, watch it yourself and note who the teams and the players are who appear on the clip. Now let the pupils watch the whole clip to start with. After they are familiar with the action, break the clip down into smaller pieces; individual passes, shots, saves etc. and, after telling the pupils who the players and teams involved are, ask them to tell you a sentence that describes what is happening. Continue with the remaining parts of the clip until the whole clip has been written about.</p><p>Now replay the clip with you reading the sentences they’ve composed. How easy is it to say the sentences in the time the action takes place on the video? Sometimes it will fit, but in the majority of cases you’ll find that the sentence is too long.</p><p>With the sentences on the board, ask the pupils to shorten them to fit by concentrating on the key information. e.g.</p><p>“Vardy passes the ball to Rooney on his left” might become…</p><p>“It’s Vardy to Rooney” or even “Vardy to Rooney” or when the game really speeds up… “Vardy, Rooney”</p><p>Once the class are happy that the words fit, play the clip again with the program <em>Sound Recorder</em> operating to record the pupils’ commentary. With any free movie making software such as <em>Microsoft Movie Maker</em>, you should be able to link both together and make great sports videos.</p><figure id="attachment_6980" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6980" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-6980" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_202418698-1-300x200.jpg" alt="Wayne Rooney" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-6980" class="wp-caption-text">Wayne Rooney</figcaption></figure><h4><strong><u>Activity Two – Jouer au Football</u></strong></h4><h4><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></h4><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to translate words from English into French</strong></p><p><strong> To be able to speak French words and phrases with the correct accent</strong></p><p>With the Euros in France this summer, it is a great excuse to learn a little footballing French. From ‘jouer au football’ to ‘marquer un but’, the class can fill their boots with some soccer language from across the channel.</p><p>Begin by asking the pupils to draw a football match on an A3 or A2 piece of paper. Add in all the things they think would be seen at a match. From this, get them to research the French for each aspect and label the picture accordingly.</p><p>To really test their knowledge, encourage the use of post it notes to cover up the French words and ask their friends to recall and say the French.</p><p><strong><u>Activity Three </u>– Organising a Tournament</strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 2 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to research information on a topic and present it for different audiences</strong></p><p><strong> To be able to use the correct operations for mathematical problems</strong></p><p>Euro 2016 has taken many years of preparation, as do all major sports events – just ask your teachers how long it takes to organise Sports Day! It’s not just getting the teams organised and the stadiums but lots of things have to happen in the background to make it a successful and profitable event.</p><p>Begin by doing a knowledge harvest of all that they think might be involved in organising a major sporting event. You should get ideas such as organising the televising, the catering, transport to the matches, security, advertising, football merchandise etc.</p><p>Once you have got your list, ask pairs or groups of pupils to find out how much this costs and what the quantities involved are. From this, get them to draw an infographic to add to a ‘Football Crazy’ wall display on the numbers involved in the ‘beautiful game’. You can add in facts like the total value of the players in each team, how many of their last games they’ve won, lost or drawn or how many times they’ve made it to the finals.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6983" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_397133152-1-300x200.jpg" alt="shutterstock_397133152" width="300" height="200" /></p><p><strong><u>Activity Four – Speaking and Listening – Guess the Team or Player?</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to decide which information is relevant when searching the internet</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to present information in different ways</strong></p><p>This activity involves a little research, some judicious presentation of information and speaking and listening skills in an assembly.</p><p>Using the teams plus a selection of well-known players, ask the pupils to find out facts about them. They can decide on the facts or you can give them the accompanying template to work to (see image below).</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6978 size-full" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/football-facts-1.jpg" alt="Football Facts" width="537" height="802" /></p><p> </p><p>After finding out the information, plan a Euro 2016 assembly and use the information to ask the assembled pupils to guess the team or player from the information given. You can make it even more exciting by giving fewer points the more clues that are needed.</p><p>For example:</p><ol><li>They play in all blue with red socks at home, blue and white away</li><li>Their manager is called Didier Deschamps</li><li>They have won the World Cup once</li><li>They have won the Euros twice</li><li>Their captain plays for Tottenham Hotspur</li><li>Eleven of their Euro 2016 squad play in English football</li><li>Their nickname is Les Bleus</li><li>Their home stadium is the Stade de France</li></ol><p>Speaking skills will need to be clear and loud with possibly an accent, whilst their listening skills will need to be sharp to hear the answers.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6691" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/Football-1-300x200.jpg" alt="Football" width="300" height="200" /></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/6977-2/">Teaching activities to celebrate Euro 2016</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Lesson ideas to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/lesson-ideas-to-celebrate-the-queens-90th-birthday/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 06 May 2016 13:26:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary History]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[collins primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[free lesson ideas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lesson plan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[primary education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teaching]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2016/05/06/lesson-ideas-to-celebrate-the-queens-90th-birthday/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In April, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday and whilst many who reach that age like to reminisce about … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/lesson-ideas-to-celebrate-the-queens-90th-birthday/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/lesson-ideas-to-celebrate-the-queens-90th-birthday/">Lesson ideas to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In April, <strong>Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90<sup>th</sup> birthday</strong> and whilst many who reach that age like to reminisce about their lives, the whole country did just that on the queen’s special day with plenty of documentaries showing the life of our monarch in detail. The celebrations are sure to continue right the way through the year and especially on the Queen’s official birthday on the 11<sup>th</sup> of June. In this series of activities we look at the changing times through the Queen’s reign and how we can celebrate the Queen’s 90th year in school.</p><p> </p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6942" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_412813690-1-300x201.jpg" alt="shutterstock_412813690" width="600" height="401" /></p><p><strong><u>Activity One – Queen’s Birthday Party</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>To recognise the school’s place in the local community and help it become an active member</strong></li><li><strong>To plan and deliver a birthday party for the Queen’s birthda</strong>y</li></ul><p>There’s nothing better than a party to celebrate a birthday and no party is fun without special guests. In this activity, the school and your class gets a chance to reach out to the community of which it is a part and find out more about life there during the reign of the Queen.</p><p>The class are going to organise a party with tea, sandwiches and cakes and invite people who are 90 years old or more from the community. You could find these from local care homes or through Age UK at <a href="http://www.ageuk.org.uk/">www.ageuk.org.uk/</a></p><p>You can arrange some entertainment for them in the form of the school choir or recorders group or make the visitors perform for their tea by getting them to tell groups of pupils about their memories of the queen over the 90 years. Don’t forget to photograph the event for the school records!</p><p>The activity can involve maths in calculating how much food is required and what it’s going to cost. Science can be involved in healthy eating as well as irreversible changes in cooking. English and art get a look in with menus and invitations and speaking and listening skills can be practised in phoning the care homes to make arrangements and in welcoming the guests to the party.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6943" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_298858547-1.jpg" alt="shutterstock_298858547" width="600" height="434" /></p><p><strong><u>Activity Two – Queen’s Birthday Mural in School</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>To understand why we mark important occasions</strong></li><li><strong>To help produce a school-wide recognition of the Queen’s 90<sup>th</sup> year</strong></li></ul><p>Ask the pupils if they can remember a big event in the life of the school. It could be an anniversary since it opened or the opening of a new building. How was it celebrated? Sometimes a tree is planted, sometimes a plaque is put up. Why do we do this? Now ask them what they think might be appropriate to mark the queen’s 90<sup>th</sup> birthday. One of the most common answers is likely to be to make a cake or to send her a gift. Both of these can be done neatly, and metaphorically, with a pebble mural that each child in the school contributes to.</p><p>For this, you’ll need to find a flat area which can be elevated slightly or even vertical. You’ll need a bag of cement or tile adhesive and lots of small pebbles which can be collected from the beach (if one nearby) or from a builders’ merchant. Ask each pupil to decorate a pebble and to add their name. Once they are all completed, draw a design of a birthday cake where the installation will be situated and layer the pebbles in band of colours like a cake. Once completed, the installation will need to be sprayed with sealer or exterior varnish to preserve it. Make sure you annotate it with a plaque, photograph it and send a copy to the queen!</p><p><u>A<strong>ctivity Three – Decade Wheel</strong></u></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>To identify important events in the decades of the queen’s life</strong></li><li><strong>To create a collage of photographs of events over the last 90 years to help celebrate the Queen’s life</strong></li></ul><p>This is a great visual activity and involves creating a large circle of card, as big as you think necessary, perhaps with a picture of the queen in the middle. Divide the circle into nine sectors and label each with the decade of the queen’s life. Now either by finding pictures on the internet or drawing and colouring their own, make a collage of pictures of events from those decades, accompanied by a picture of the queen in that decade. The finished article could be displayed in the school entrance or hall.</p><p> </p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6944" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_385608118-1.jpg" alt="shutterstock_385608118" width="600" height="367" /></p><p><strong><u>Activity Four – The Next Decade</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 3 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To be able to write using the future tense</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to identify possible events that may happen in the next decade and how the Queen may be involved in them</strong></p><p>Look at recent news articles about what the Queen has been doing. Where has she visited, what has she done? From this, ask the pupils to think about what the Queen might do in the next ten years. Are there anniversaries of events she will be involved in? Perhaps the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 2017 or 100 years since the end of the First World War in 2018 or, further ahead, the Queen’s 75<sup>th</sup> year on the throne.</p><p>How will the Queen be involved? What might she do? Imagine you are a news reporter there on the day, describing the event and what the Queen did, how she was dressed and even refer to how she coped with the events given her age. The pupils can do this as a ‘to camera’ report, a written report or by piecing together pictures from a similar event or the original event to make a ‘newsreel’ which they can narrate.</p><p>As an extension or alternative activity, they could simply imagine the event in the future and write it in the future tense.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6945" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_106047695-1.jpg" alt="shutterstock_106047695" width="600" height="399" /></p><p><u>A<strong>ctivity Four – History With A Royal Touch</strong></u></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years 4 to 6</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: To look at historical events from a different perspective</strong></p><p><strong>To recognise the importance of the queen’s role in events of the last 90 years</strong></p><p>The Queen is often seen marking the anniversaries of historical events but, given her longevity, many of the events were ones that she experienced herself. Recently we have heard of what the Queen did during the Second World War as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service but what were her experiences of other events in the history of the 20<sup>th</sup> and 21<sup>st</sup> centuries?</p><p>What did she do in the sixties during Beatlemania and the hippy era? Where was she when the Berlin Wall fell or when the Gulf War started? We can use the Queen’s experiences to help pupils look at historical events from a different perspective.</p><p>Choose a major event from the last 90 years. Find out what the queen and the royal family were doing at the time. How did the events affect them? Did any of her children join the armed forces in a war? Did the Queen do anything to impact on the effects of the event? As an example, you could use the Second World War. The queen was 13 years old at the start of the Second World War; how was she affected in those early days or during the Blitz? Did she stay in London or was she an evacuee?</p><p>The tasks will require some research and, when writing about the events, some empathy from the pupils as to how the Queen might have been feeling.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-6947" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_249573424-1-300x217.jpg" alt="London during World War II" width="600" height="434" /></p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/lesson-ideas-to-celebrate-the-queens-90th-birthday/">Lesson ideas to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>The Traditions of Easter</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-traditions-of-easter/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 13 Mar 2016 15:00:31 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Easter]]></category> <category><![CDATA[key stage 1]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Key Stage 2]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2016/03/13/the-traditions-of-easter/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>We all know about Christmas and its origins and have had the Christmas story read to us dozens of times … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-traditions-of-easter/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-traditions-of-easter/">The Traditions of Easter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all know about Christmas and its origins and have had the Christmas story read to us dozens of times and the same could be said of the Easter story too but do we really know all about the traditions of Easter?</p><p><strong><u>Activity One – When is Easter?</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years R to 2</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objectives: </strong></p><p><strong>To understand that the date of Easter is determined by the phases of the moon</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to use a calendar to estimate when Easter will fall from looking at the moon’s phases</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to read information from tables</strong></p><p>This may all sound a little complicated for young children but it involves a little astronomy and some RE of a different religion so can be approached from different angles.</p><p>Judaism celebrates the Passover which commemorates the escape of the Jews from slavery in Egypt with the final ‘plague’, the death of the first born male child. Families who placed a mark made in blood on their doors were ‘passed over’ by the angel of death.</p><p>Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the focal point of Easter, is said to have occurred around the time of the Passover which the Jews calculate as being the first full moon after the spring equinox (the day when day and night are the same length). Early Christians followed this idea, meaning that in the early years of the Christian church, Easter could be on any day of the week but was eventually fixed as being the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.</p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_292720064-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6709" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_292720064-1-300x201.jpg" alt="shutterstock_292720064" width="300" height="201" /></a></p><p>For this activity, first tell the pupils that Easter is celebrated on different dates each year and can be any time between March 22<sup>nd</sup> and April 25<sup>th</sup>. Tell them that the date of Easter depends on the date of the full moon that comes after the date in spring when day and night are the same length – March 21<sup>st</sup>.</p><p>This <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> shows us the dates of all the full moons up to 2036 whilst on this <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/generate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">page</a> you can create a calendar for any year.</p><p>For each year, ask the pupils to find the first full moon after the 21<sup>st</sup> March in the moon phase charts then look at the calendar to find the date of the first Sunday after this date. That will be the date of Easter that year. The answer can be checked <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_for_Easter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p><p><strong><u>Activity Two – The Easter Bunny</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years Rec to 2+</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To recognise that traditions play a large part in celebrations</strong></p><p><strong> To understand the significance of the Easter Bunny in other cultures</strong></p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_180776480-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6711" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_180776480-1-300x208.jpg" alt="shutterstock_180776480" width="300" height="208" /></a></p><p>The Easter Bunny may seem like a marketing ploy or the imagination of a Hollywood animator but the origins of the Easter Bunny go far back in time.</p><p>The earliest mention of it is in the 17<sup>th</sup> century when German immigrants to America introduced the story of the Osterhase, a hare that laid coloured eggs. As part of the tradition, children would make nests for the Easter Bunny to visit and lay its eggs in. Mimicking the eggs from the story, people began to dye or paint eggs to have as decorations, often hanging them by ribbons, much like Christmas baubles. Hares, along with rabbits, are renowned for their proliferation of young, and have been seen as representational of fertility since pagan times and as Easter falls at springtime, the time of new growth and new birth, the links have been forged over the millennia.</p><p>For this activity, the pupils are going to make nests for the Easter Bunny to visit. You can choose any material that’s available for the task, I’ve had classes using paper straws and shredded tissue paper, woven twigs, thin wire (Health and safety alert here!) and more. The nests can be decorated by being sprayed or simply painted or with ribbon or coloured pieces of tissue paper woven in and out of them. The idea is to make them as attractive as possible. Linking to a literacy theme, you can ask them to write a persuasive message to the Easter Bunny, encouraging it to visit their nest. Do it as a sign and they can attach it to their nest. As a nice twist (food allergies considered!) you can place chocolate eggs in coloured wrapping in their nests just before school breaks up for Easter.</p><p><strong><u>Activity Three – Easter Eggs</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years R to 2+</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To understand the religious and secular significance of eggs at Easter</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to design and produce a decoration for an egg to give as a gift at Easter</strong></p><p>Easter eggs have a pagan heritage but were adopted by Christians as symbols for their Easter. Originally, it was simply a sign of fertility for pagans but the tradition of egg decoration and the symbolism of the egg itself was used by Christians in several ways. Easter egg rolling competitions represented the rolling of the stone away from Jesus’ tomb whilst the emergence of the chick from the egg represented Jesus’ resurrection and his leaving the tomb. The decoration of eggs has more to do with hope, and possibly boredom as eggs were forbidden to be eaten during the Lenten fast and were kept and decorated ready to be eaten on Easter Day.</p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_257657356-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6707" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_257657356-1-300x193.jpg" alt="shutterstock_257657356" width="300" height="193" /></a></p><p>For this activity you can be traditional and use uncooked eggs as long as the children are careful (Health and safety alert for salmonella here! Wash the eggs in a disinfecting solution first and dry them thoroughly) or you can use ‘blown eggs’ where a small hole is made in the egg, a thin wire inserted to break the yolk and membrane and the contents blown out through a hole made in the other end of the egg.</p><p>The difficulty with decorating an egg is that it is three dimensional and the ‘canvas’ loops back on itself. For this reason it is best to stick to a simple design or even a picture painted onto the egg. Many different techniques can be used but my favourite is to use white eggs and paint wax onto the shell before painting it one colour with waterproof paint. When the egg is cooked, the wax will melt off leaving a beautiful pattern. Threaded with ribbon, they look amazing displayed hung from a small leafless tree branch in a pot.</p><p><strong><u>Activity Three – Hot Cross Buns</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Suitable for Years R to 2+</u></strong></p><p><strong>Learning Objective: </strong></p><p><strong>To understand the history, tradition and significance of hot cross buns</strong></p><p><strong>To be able to say what will happen to a hot cross bun left out in the air as per the tradition</strong></p><p>Hot cross buns have an interesting pedigree. Made without dairy products so they follow the Lenten fasting tradition, the buns had to be toasted to be palatable. The spices in them are meant to remind Christians of the spices used to embalm the body of Jesus whilst the cross reminds us of the crucifixion. Superstitions surrounding the buns include that a little piece will help cure the sick, taken to sea they ward off shipwreck and that hung in a kitchen, they prevent fires. Buns made on Good Friday are said to not go off, stale or mouldy.</p><p>Older pupils can be asked to produce a poster detailing the merits of the hot cross bun – bring some in for the pupils to see or even taste (allergy awareness required!) Whilst we won’t be at school on Good Friday, buy one on the day, keeping the receipt to prove it, and then conduct an experiment to see if it does remain fresh. You could do a comparison with one bought on a different day, keeping count of the number of days before the buns start to look a little unappetising. Before trying the experiment, ask the pupils if they can predict what will happen to the buns and how long they think it will take.</p><p><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_351769682-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6708" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_351769682-1-300x200.jpg" alt="shutterstock_351769682" width="300" height="200" /></a></p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-traditions-of-easter/">The Traditions of Easter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Maths Activities – The 25th Anniversary of Comic Relief</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/maths-activities-the-25th-anniversary-of-comic-relief/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:00:30 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary Maths]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Comic Relief]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Red Nose Day]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2013/02/14/maths-activities-the-25th-anniversary-of-comic-relief/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>If you want to get a little work done in your maths lesson on Red Nose Day but still involve Comic Relief, try these activities and the English activities that accompany them.</p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/maths-activities-the-25th-anniversary-of-comic-relief/">Maths Activities – The 25th Anniversary of Comic Relief</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You’ll have a red nose soon and it won’t be just because of the cold – it’ll soon be <a href="http://www.rednoseday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Nose Day</a>, aka Comic Relief and the numbers will be crunching telling us how well we’ve been doing raising money to help children around the world.</p><p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2189 alignright" src="http://freedomtoteach.collinseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/RedNoses1.jpg" alt="Red Noses 2013" width="175" height="117" /></p><p>This year is very special for it’s the 25th Red Nose Day and the celebrations and fund raising drives are going to be keener than ever. Usually schools take their feet off the pedals a little to allow children to enjoy the fun or to carry out fund raising activities of their own. If you want to get a little work done in the maths lesson that day but still involve Comic Relief, try these activities and the English activities that accompany them.</p><p><strong>Activity One – Allocating Money</strong></p><p>Year 3 to Year 6</p><p>This activity enables children think about how a number can be split using fractions or percentages and allows them to make decisions based on their concerns for others.</p><p><strong>LO:</strong><br />Be able to use fractions and percentages to divide up a sum of money and allocate it based on personal beliefs.<br />Be able to calculate sums involving large numbers using a calculator</p><p><strong>Talking Point:</strong><br />Each year Comic Relief raises tens of millions of pounds, all of which is spent on helping children around the world. Expenses are paid by sponsors from the interest earned on money in the bank waiting to be used.</p><p>Ask the children to say what kind of children are helped by donations to Comic Relief and can they suggest any others.</p><p>Should all the money be given to one type of need or should it be spread around, one country or region or several. There is often controversy over the amount that is spent in foreign countries instead of on suffering children in the UK. What are their views on that?</p><p><strong>Activity:</strong><br />In 2011, almost £75m was pledged or donated during the day of Comic Relief and over £100m in total. Using the total figure of £100m ask the children to decide which of the following causes would be most deserving of receiving some of the money.</p><p><a href="http://freedomtoteach.collinseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ComicReliefTable.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2185" src="http://freedomtoteach.collinseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ComicReliefTable.jpg" alt="Comic Relief Table" width="500" height="205" /></a></p><p>How many children in each category could be helped if the money was spent purely on them?</p><p><strong>Talking Point:</strong><br />Ask them whether this is a fair way of spending the money. How else would they apportion it and ask on what basis they are making their decisions.</p><p>Ask them to calculate how much they would spend as a fraction or percentage of the £100m on each cause and calculate how many children would be helped in each scenario. How many children would be helped overall? They should write notes for each justifying their decisions.</p><p><strong>Talking Point:</strong><br />Should the decision be made just on how many can be helped or are there other criteria that can be used? Ask them to reconsider their decisions and calculations based on the class discussion.</p><p><strong>At Home:</strong><br />Get the children to research projects that have been funded by Comic Relief in the past. How much was spent, what was it spent on, and how successful was it in terms of numbers helped?</p><p><strong>Activity Two – Scale: How Many Times?</strong><br />Year 3 to Year 6</p><p>In their daily lives children often encounter large numbers that seem abstract in isolation. This activity enables the children to compare large numbers by scale. E.g. England is ten times bigger than…, there are a hundred times more starving people in Africa than… etc.</p><p><strong>LO:</strong><br />Use ‘times bigger’ to compare the size of numbers, measures etc.<br />Use pictures to compare size.</p><p><strong>Talking Point:</strong><br />Ask the children to say how many times taller they think their teacher is than them. How many times heavier is the teacher than they are?</p><p><strong>Activity:</strong><br />Start off writing pairs of numbers on the board e.g. 4 and 32. Ask the children to say how much bigger 32 is than 4. You are likely to get the answers either 28 (difference) or 8 times (multiplier). Use further pairs of numbers and ask the same question. Ask the children which they think gives them the better idea of comparable size.</p><p>Use the <a title="Comparative Measures" href="http://www.collinseducation.com/Downloads/email/Primary/Comparative%20measures.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worksheet</a> that accompanies this activity and ask the children to measure the differences in length, width or height of the first few examples then calculate the number of times greater each measurement is (to the nearest whole number). Does ‘five times bigger’, give a more accurate comparison than say ‘4cm bigger’?</p><p>Back to Comic Relief now and the <a title="Comic Relief Worksheet" href="http://www.collinseducation.com/Downloads/email/Primary/Comic%20Relief%20Maths%20Sheet.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accompanying sheet</a> gives children practice on calculating how many times bigger numbers are using the receipts from Comic Relief over the last 25 years.</p><p><strong>At Home:</strong><br />Ask the children to compare things such as size of food packages, length of gardens, speed limits etc. by using ‘times bigger’</p><p>Dave Lewis, Primary Teacher</p><p>You can find ideas on how to celebrate Red Nose Day in your literacy lessons <a href="http://freedomtoteach.collinseducation.com/primary-english-activities-for-the-25th-anniversary-of-comic-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here…</a></p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/maths-activities-the-25th-anniversary-of-comic-relief/">Maths Activities – The 25th Anniversary of Comic Relief</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Primary – Using Charles Dickens in PSHE</title> <link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/primary-using-charles-dickens-in-pshe/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mary]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:26:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Primary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Primary PSHE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Activity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Charles Dickens]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2012/02/14/primary-using-charles-dickens-in-pshe/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Activity One – Child Poverty Year 3 to Year 6 Child poverty was a major problem in the Victorian era, … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/primary-using-charles-dickens-in-pshe/">Continued</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/primary-using-charles-dickens-in-pshe/">Primary – Using Charles Dickens in PSHE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Activity One – Child Poverty</strong><br />Year 3 to Year 6</p><p>Child poverty was a major problem in the Victorian era, something that Charles Dickens knew all too well for himself having been sent to a workhouse after his father was put in a debtor’s prison. Many of his works use his own experience to inform the writing of such characters as David Copperfield, Oliver Twist and Pip. Child poverty is something that still affects Britain and the world today and this activity links the problem of two periods of history through one organisation, Barnado’s.</p><p>Gather together resources such as the description of the lives of Pip, David Copperfield and Oliver Twist and details on the lives of poor people in Victorian England including debtor’s prisons and workhouses. Ask the children to read the descriptions and imagine life under those conditions. Now read the history of Barnado’s or better still, invite a local representative into school to talk to the class about their work. You’ll discover the transition over the century and a half of their work in the kind of assistance they give but the underlying problems are the same.</p><p>After the presentation, ask the children what they think poverty means in Britain and what the effects of it are? Do a written comparison of the two ages and what the remedies to poverty are under each system.<br />Ask them to say what the things are that humans need to be able to survive and thrive. How many of those are missing from poor children’s lives? If appropriate you could undertake a fundraising event for Barnado’s.</p><p><strong>Activity Two – Doing the Right Thing</strong><br />Year 1 to Year 6</p><p>The thread running through Oliver Twist is of a good boy who is led astray by bad influences and sometimes necessity. Use a synopsis, abridged version or selected parts of the story to illustrate these events. A good plot summary is available in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist</p><p>When we’ve done this activity in school we highlighted the events and made decision trees from them looking at how the decision Oliver made affected him and discussed what may have happened if he’d made a different decision.</p><p>It is interesting to listen to the children’s ideas of how events unfolded and we often have divided opinions on whether what Oliver did was right or wrong.<br />When you have completed this part of the activity, ask the children to say or anonymously write down examples of where they have been faced with choosing between right and wrong saying what influenced their decision and how it turned out.</p><p><strong>Activity Three – Bullying</strong><br />Year 1 to Year 6</p><p>In several of Charles Dickens’ books, characters which include children and adults are bullied by others.<br />Use examples from Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby or Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol to illustrate the effect of bullying. These examples come from books written around 150 years ago but are based on the experiences of Charles Dickens himself or of people he saw in his work.</p><p>Ask the children to identify the form of bullying which ranges from belittling someone to making them do something for someone with the threat of violence of they don’t comply or pure physical and mental bullying in the case of Nicholas Nickelby.</p><p>Ask the children if they can identify any forms of bullying that they’ve encountered in their lives that compare to some of the examples in Dickens’ work.</p><p>Find out from each story what happened to the bullies and what happened to the people being bullied. Did they receive help from anyone to overcome the bully? In each of the Dickens’ tales, the victim was triumphant in the end whilst the bully failed to prosper.</p><p>The stories illustrate how bullying is not only destructive for the victim but also for the bully.</p><p><em>Dave Lewis</em><br /><em>Primary teacher</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/primary-using-charles-dickens-in-pshe/">Primary – Using Charles Dickens in PSHE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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