This year in Primary we have been further developing our use of technology and e-learning. Homework and spellings can be accessed on our online platform, Canvas, and links to other educational activities and sites can also be found here. Canvas also allows students to work collaboratively with each other and their teachers both at school and at home.
For instance, this term our Year 6 students have been working on an investigative journalism web-quest which has explored the various aspects of the Second World War. This is a situated project, which consists of students embracing a role in a real-world context: in this case it is as war correspondents in the Second World War. In collaboration with ICT, the students have been using their devices and the online tools of Canvas, SharePoint and Class Notebook to research and complete a series of newspaper articles.
The students have autonomously compiled research using a range of internet sources which they have referenced academically. In addition, expert meetings have been held allowing students from 6A and 6B to work together to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the content along with facilitating their English communication skills. There has been excellent engagement with the project from the students, some of whom are now reaching high quality levels of analysis. In addition to completing, sharing and applying this research in a newspaper format, the students are combining this knowledge with web-design in ICT which, in the upcoming weeks, will result in live websites accessible worldwide. Once completed, we hope you all will take the opportunity to peruse through the online World War Two newspaper sites.
Meanwhile, Key Stage One learnt about the importance of sustainability in assembly this week. 2B taught the rest of the Key Stage all about how important it is to make the right choices so that we don’t use plastic unnecessarily. The children were shocked to see pictures of turtles trapped in plastic and rivers filled with plastic waste; we all agreed that we wanted to make a change and save the planet.
Our Eco School’s committee have already banned plastic straws and are encouraging everyone to remember to bring their reusable water bottles to school. More initiatives are being planned to ensure we become a more sustainable school and we look forward to sharing these with you. In the meantime, please do take the time to talk to your child about the choices we can make to reduce our plastic use and the significance of sustainability.
I hope you have a restful weekend and should you have any questions or suggestions about Canvas or sustainability at school please do get in contact.
Katherine Mustoe
Vice-Principal and Head of Primary
