Working on new curriculum and thinking thinky thoughts

I read recently that only 2% of principals report that their school is ready for the NZ Curriculum rollout that takes place next year. I flicked over it on the front page of the local paper while in the supermarket (wine, cigarettes and chocolate - it's the end of the term) and rolled my eyes a little. Well. It's a new curriculum, not the next Great Flood. I think we can all be at different places without people freaking out. Also, that was the 2% that said they were OMG-completely-prepared-and-braced-for-the-impact. The vast majority of the rest said that they were on the way.

Related to this, I am slowly working on the new junior schemes for science. Most of the broad schemes are done, so I am just organising them now, checking the big ideas and the key competencies and thinking about how I am going to work on wider engagement.

It is no secret that my big thing about web2.0 and education is the idea of authentic audience and breaking down the distinctions between real life and the classroom. So my thinky thoughts at the moment are all around that - and making sure that our new schemes provide these opportunities.

GoAnimate.com: Bohr's Model

GoAnimate.com: Bohr's Model by gwynethatschool

http://goanimate.com/go/movie/0aOSaXIV_-Rg?uid=03Ca54FewQCo&utm%5Fsource=gigyaembed

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Playing with literacy - using the fourth r

One of the greatest strengths, I think, of using Web 2.0 technologies in teaching is that there are so many great ways to link words and images together to make meaning. Many students at my school really struggle with writing and reading, and these tools provide a stimulating way of students creating (and internalising) their own learning.

I played round today with two tools from pimpampum - bubblr and phrasr.

The first atomic models

Scientific models

I'm going to get my students to play with these two and make their own, to consolidate their learning.