For Teachers By Teachers
FTBT is a twice yearly free online magazine for primary science teachers.
FTBT (Issue 1 2010)
This new resource contains two elements:
PowerPoint Presentation on Thinking Skills
Thinking About Energy is the latest edition of FTBT. This FREE resource has been written to model how to incorporate different thinking skills into everyday lessons.
The lesson plans have been written around the topic of 'energy' and offer a taster of how to use thinking skills. These lessons can be used as they are or adapted to suit the needs of individual year groups and classes. It is hoped that by using these lessons it will equip teachers with some new ideas and strategies to help embed thinking skills into other areas of the curriculum.
The aims of the project are to:
- Develop understanding of different thinking skills for both teachers and pupils.
- Develop an understanding of the issues surrounding energy creation in the UK.
- Develop presentation and group working skills in pupils.
Depending upon the time and resources available, it is hoped that pupils will have the opportunity to work through all of the sessions and be able to create their own short presentation about energy creation, the problems associated with it and their own possible solution. This could take the form of a short oral piece of work, a poster, information book or multimedia presentation.
Included with this resource is a PowerPoint file which could be used to help raise awareness of thinking skills with other staff members and hopefully help to start your school off on a thinking skills journey.
FTBT (Issue 2 2009)
This new resource contains two elements:
PowerPoint Presentation of the Once Upon a Time in Cumbria project
The Once Upon a Time in Cumbria project began with the web-based learning module all about Cumbria. Its primary aim was to involve Key Stage 2 pupils in local history and help them identify the events and innovations that can cause communities to change.
The Lake District in Cumbria was chosen due to it being an area of great natural beauty, but also one in which many industries operate. By highlighting the ways that change has taken place in this area and helping children establish reasons for this change, it was hoped that this would stimulate similar research in their own local areas.
The latest issue of FTBT has been written as an addition to help teachers plan and implement a research based project about their own local area with their classes. The primary aims of this resource are:
- To build on the case study outlined in the Once Upon a Time in Cumbria project.
- To provide teachers with a useable framework from which to plan their own research projects to use with their classes.
- Use cross-curricular approaches to help make meaningful learning links for children.
- Link to Primary Frameworks for Literacy and Maths and QCA Schemes of work to help teachers meet school-based planning expectations and curriculum coverage.
- Help both teachers and pupils develop a variety of research and ICT skills.
- Help teachers/pupils create and share their ideas with a wider audience and hopefully create wider learning communities/networks by sharing work through the website.
- Develop/highlight creative approaches to learning which could help schools who wish to embark on the creative curriculum approach to learning.
Once Upon a time in Cumbria and Where I Live (FTBT Issue 1 2009)
Teachers' Notes (once_teacherbook.pdf, 1.43 MB)
Pupil Workbook (once_workbook.pdf, 1.84 MB)
Once Upon a Time in Cumbria and Where I Live is a web-based learning module which attempts to involve KS2 pupils in local history. Its main purpose is to help pupils identify the events and innovations that cause communities to change.
The module is particularly aimed at prompting pupils to sift out the ways in which science and technology feature as agents for change in our lifestyles.
The Lake District, in Cumbria, is an area of great natural beauty and also one in which large industries operate. Cumbria provides a clear case study for pupils to get to grips with the forces for change that have, and still do, influence the different ways of life in the Lake District.
The case study is intended to prepare pupils for an examination of the changes that have been made and are still being made in the communities in which they, themselves, live.
FTBT Issue 2 2008
In this issue:
- Find out how the Pandora Project can help you to deliver excellence in your science teaching.
- Ziggy is the star of a new science program devised by teacher Matthew Revill. There are prizes if your pupils can draw their impression of what Ziggy looks like.
- Are you getting to grips with Virtual Learning Environments?
- Win £100 of primary science teaching resources.
FTBT Issue 1 2008
This issue features:
- Primary science with hand held computers
- Virtual Learning Environments
- Making room for big books in primary science
- The Online Science Awards - win £1000!
2007 edition
Featured in this edition:
- The Pandora Project - free DVD
- Principles of effective science education
- Science through literacy
- Downloadable activity sheets
2006 edition
Featured in the 2006 edition:
- Survey results - How tough is it teaching primary science?
- Primary science think tank - Food for thought
- Changing State - Unit 5D free downloadable teaching resources
- Sellafield Ltd Whiteboard Awards - Primary winners