Curriculum For Excellence

Lasswade PAVE Group -Outdoor Learning Success

billstephen Bill Stephen, Curriculum For Excellence, Outdoor Learning
Sailing Canoes on the Whittader

We’ve been working hard with the PAVE, LLE team &  pupil groups on a variety of awards to support their NC vocational units including NC personal and Vocational Skills level 4. Its been a pleasure to support them to achieve their NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) foundation climber + and their SCA (Scottish Canoeing Association) Star awards as part of their development.

Success with NICAS Awards Level 1

As always great  to work with the staff at PAVE and support staff at Lasswade High School

We’ve witnessed some amazing visible learning moments throughout the course using the NICAS syllabus  climbing at Ratho EICA and the SCA 1 star syllabus paddling in a variety of locations and carrying out varying lengths of journeys (and much more paddling and climbing  beyond the award criteria too) as both physical skills and growth mind-set development are evident.

Developing movement and cognitive skills using poling techniques

 

Using MOLE’s to record and check outcomes and understanding

We’ve also used MOLE’s (Midlothian Outdoor Online Learning Environment) to record course outcomes and some wider learning back in the class.

 

We wish the group every success and continued successful attainment and pathways in the future.

 

 

 

2017 S6 Outdoor Learning Challenge

billstephen Bill Stephen, Curriculum For Excellence, Events, Outdoor Learning

IMAG0987The Outdoor Learning Challenge for S6 teams from all Secondary Schools will be held at Vogrie Country park on  the 29th  March 2017

As always an exiting that is a mixture of team  and journeying skills around the estate. Teams of 6 from all Secondary Schools can compete to win this years trophy in this amazing Outdoor Learning experience.

To register a team for the 2017 S6 Challenge – email outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk

Information for DHT/S6 Year Heads click here

Click here for poster for S6 Pupils

Click here for team registration form

We will send out further information nearer this years  event. You can see images and results for last years event by clicking here

 Curriculum for Excellence & the S6 Challenge

The challenge enables teams to work effectively to achieve success on the varied challenges set up around the Vogrie Estate through exploration and discovery.

As well as the wider capacities of the CfE in encouraging effective contributions from all team members to guarantee success.This event contributes too many curriculum subject areas including Health and Wellbeing outcomes e.g;

Movement skills, competencies and concepts (HWB 21-22a), Cooperation and competition(HWB 23a)  and evaluating and appreciating (HWB 24a) These events are physical and mental challenges which naturally encourage  physical competencies and fitness but are also designed to  develop;

Cognitive skills  e.g. decision making, problem solving and creativity , concentration and develop Personal Qualities, i.e. motivation, leadership, communication, trust respect, tolerance and resilience.

Details for booking your team are above and have been  sent out to S6 coordinators , however you can also contact the team to declare interest now! don’t miss out on this exicting event.

Geology Days Rock for P7 (and some help from MOLE’s too)

billstephen Bill Stephen, Curriculum For Excellence, Outdoor Learning
Ancient Inhabitants
Ancient Inhabitants

We’ve had great few days out and about recently with Danderhall P7 classes . Our walks in the Pentland Hills  included some Geology tasks.  As well as our generic outcomes for Outdoor Learning we looked at wider related learning outcomes that linked in with Earth Science working back in the class using M.O.L.E’s. “Midlothian Outdoor/Online Learning  Environment ” to burrow in (get it !?) & review knowledge from the daygeology-learning-outcome-1

 

 

group-and-moles
One of the P7 Groups and one of the online knowledge review questions (MOLE’s)

Pupils undertook a journey through geological time and became geology detectives to view the landscape and learn about earth science and the Pentland Hills Geological history.

geology-outcome-2

The online environment (M.O.L.E.) allows pupils to  review the learning outcomes covered  back in the classroom.  This tool allows us to go beyond some of the “surface learning” as part of the “micro teaching session”and dig deeper to stimulate further class  discussion on the aspects of formative learning covered in the day. It can also help gather some further useful feedback from pupils and their level of engagement . These groups certainly seemed to have a good experience and judging by the knowledge review (14 questions)  some pretty successful results. Thanks for  great days out Danderhall P7 & we look forward to seeing all the results once completed.

You can access more information about our generic Outdoor Learning Plan by clicking here . Please get in touch if you want to use MOLE’s to review knowledge for your Outdoor Learning Day /Programme back in the classroom.geology-outcome-3

 

 

 

CLPL news – Introduction to Taking learning Outdoors (Primary)

billstephen Bill Stephen, Curriculum For Excellence, Learning and Teaching, Outdoor Learning

bushcraft-iconThe Introduction to Taking Learning Outdoors  (Primary) course will take place at Hawthornden Primary school on INSET day May 22nd 2017.

This course is a fantastic opportunity for primary staff who are looking to take their learning outdoors. Staff, with little or no experience of taking groups of children and young people to learn outdoors, are encouraged to take an introductory training course aimed at the age group with whom you work.

Training will give staff the confidence and basic skills to undertake outdoor learning in school/centre grounds and other local areas and develop ideas for outdoor learning.

Training is 6 hours, delivered in one day , and includes a mix of theory, practical(some time outdoors!) and discussion.

We are  hoping to get folks signed up early as this will be a well subscribed course – there is no cost – just bring yourself along and start getting outdoors and making learning connections across the curriculum areas. We will be inviting teachers to share some of their outdoor learning approaches and start to build strategy for outdoor learning.Staff training

Tutors (Rob Heasman –  Teacher – Hawthornden PS & Bill Stephen PT Outdoor Learning) will guide you through this course developed by Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education & Education Scotland.

Where : Hawthornden Primary School

What time : 0900-1600

What to Bring : Lunch, Outdoor Clothing & Rucksack/Backpack (for outdoor walk session)

Costs: free to all Midlothian Council Primary Staff.

How to Book – on learnPro or by completing the booking form at link here and email to outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk

 

Outdoor Learning Lesson Plan – Links to CfE

eoinkeane Curriculum For Excellence, Learning and Teaching, Outdoor Learning

boys in wood

At the Outdoor Learning Service we have always known about the value of the lessons we provide. We regularly discuss this with teachers when arranging activities to ensure their students get the most out of the experiences they are engaging in. Now we have produced an Outdoor Learning Lesson plan that clearly identifies and details links to the Curriculum for Excellence.It is no surprise that a number of Experiences and Outcomes can be linked to the activity days we provide.

 

The lesson plan is broken down into 4 sections;

1. The stages of the lesson – this is simply the experiences in chronological order that pupils will have when working with our team.

2. The aim – an explanation as to what we hope to achieve at each stage of the lesson, it provides us with basic criteria to assess our success.

3. The example of activity – this section identifies some of the activities that might take place at different times during the lesson. Although similar lessons take place at the Outdoor Learning Service often they can be quite different because of the nature of our amazing Outdoor Classroom.

4. Some examples of the links to CfE – here the stages of the lesson are closely linked to specific Experiences and Outcomes. This is not a definitive list and Outdoor Learning can be used to teach all subject areas – it has numerous cross-curricular themes.

This lesson plan can be used when considering future programmes with the Outdoor Learning Service or possibly when delivering Outdoor Learning at your school. It is a generic lesson plan which broadly covers some of the core lessons we teach at the O.L. Service. Of course, if required we can teach more specific lessons which focus on particular Experiences and Outcomes your class may be working on.

The Lesson Plan can be found by clicking on this link: Generic Outdoor Learning Lesson Plan. If you have any further comments or examples regarding how you are using Outdoor Learning in your classroom we are always keen to hear them at the Outdoor Learning Service.