Global Citizenship

February 3rd, 2012

Marine Science Glow meet – a fun and quirky look at life in our seas and oceans

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: events, food, nature, water
 : Categories biodiversity, sciences, sustainable development

Marine Scotland Science GLOW Meet

Everything you ever wanted to know about the marine environment but were too scared to ask….

 11am – 12pm, Thursday 23 February 2012

Why are fish slimy? What is the weirdest sea creature? Which sea dad gives birth through its mouth? What yukky substance from the sea is used in lipstick?

Around one fifth of Scotland’s population live within a kilometre of the sea and our marine environment is one of the most diverse in the world – supporting over 48,000 species. Despite its importance in terms of our economy and biodiversity, we still know very little about marine life and the oceans remain one of the Earth’s last unexplored frontiers.

Join this interactive Glow meet for a whacky, fun and informative look at the science of our oceans and seas. This Glow meet will be aimed at learners in primary schools.  The school submitting the best questions during the Glow meet will win a visit by the Edinburgh Science Festival Marine Detectives Workshop, complete with rock pool and live creatures.

Further resources about the marine environment are available on Glow at: http://bit.ly/marineresources

Click here to watch recording of this Glow meet>>

December 14th, 2011

The Great Climate Change Debate – Join us on Glow

imenzies

Comments: 2 Comments » Tags: Tags: climate and energy, events, nature
 : Categories citizenship, renewables and climate change, sciences, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

A series of interactive and lively Glow meets  

In November this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change launched a report warning that climate change is likely to lead to more extreme weather. Within weeks of this launch, Scotland was battered by severe flooding and hurricane-force winds which brought much of the country to a standstill. Is our climate already changing? What will climate change mean for Scotland? How can we respond positively and adapt to the changes ahead? 

We’re inviting your school to join the great climate change debate. We’ll be bringing together a panel of scientists and experts to answer questions, spark debate and discussion and help learners navigate their way through climate fact, fiction and controversy.

• Glow meet 1: Our changing weather and climate (23^rd Jan ’12)
• Glow meet 2: Climate science – evidence versus controversy  (30^th Jan ’12)
• Glow meet 3: Adapting to climate change (6^th Feb ’12)

Each Glow meet will take place from 2pm to 3:00pm. These events will be targeted at learners in secondary schools and upper primary.

Please see links below for further details about each event:

GLOW MEET 1 Our changing weather and climate 23Jan12 

GLOW MEET 2 Climate science evidence vs controversy 30Jan12 

GLOW MEET 3 Adapting to climate change 6Feb12

Click here to view the recordings of these Glow meets >>

For resources and videos on climate change visit Weather and Climate Change, Exploring Climate Change and Climate Change on Glow.

December 9th, 2011

SEweb – Scotland’s Environment Website

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy, community, events, nature, research, resources, water, waterways
 : Categories ICT, biodiversity, community, outdoor learning, sciences, scottish culture, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

For the first time, everything you want to know about Scotland’s environment will now be available at the touch of a button on a new website provided by Scotland’s key environment and health agencies.

Scotland’s Environment Web – named SEweb – aims to be the gateway to everything you want to know about Scotland’s environment. This three year project, supported by funding from the European Union, will put Scotland at the global forefront of sharing environmental information, prioritising problems and involving citizens in assessing and improving their own environment.

Features of SEweb will include:

Visit the website at: http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/default.aspx

December 9th, 2011

Last day at UN Climate Talks in Durban

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, poverty
 : Categories africa, citizenship, renewables and climate change, sciences, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

As major UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa reach their final day, the most likely outcome is a modest step towards a broader deal to cut greenhouse gas pollution to fight climate change.

Scottish climate campaigner, Lexi Barnett (Campaigns Officer with SCIAF), has been attending the talks with one of Latin America’s leading climate scientist. Check out her blog and the news from the last day.

December 8th, 2011

Climate Week 2012

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, events
 : Categories citizenship, renewables and climate change, sciences, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Britain’s Biggest Climate Change Campaign – 12 to 18 March 2012 http://www.climateweek.com/

Climate Week is a supercharged national campaign to inspire a new wave of action on climate change. It culminates in thousands of events and activities, planned by organisations from every part of society. Showcasing real, practical ways to combat climate change, the campaign aims to renew our ambition to create a more sustainable, low-carbon future.

Climate Week is backed by every part of society – from Paul McCartney to the Met Office, the TUC to the CBI, Girlguiding UK to the National Association of Head Teachers. During the first Climate Week in 2011 over 3,000 events were attended by half a million people across the UK.

You can register your school with Climate Week 2012 here.

To find out more about getting involved in Climate Week go to www.climateweek.com, email info@climateweek.com or telephone on 020 3397 2601.

November 18th, 2011

Crofting Connections

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: community, food, nature, news, research
 : Categories biodiversity, community, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, health and wellbeing, homecoming, languages, mathematics, outdoor learning, primary schools, religious and moral education, renewables and climate change, sciences, scottish culture, secondary schools, sharing practice, social studies, sustainable development, technologies

Crofting Connections is a 3-year long educational project which started in August 2009. It aims to enable over 1,200 young people aged 5 to 16 living in remote rural communities throughout the Highlands & Islands to learn about crofting past, present and future.

It is funded by HLF, SNH, LEADER, HIE and the Craignish Trust.

Its key outcomes for young people are for an increased:

•  desire to live and work in their crofting communities.
• ability to keep crofting alive in the 21st century for the benefit of rural communities and the environment.
• development of Curriculum for Excellence‟ four capacities – successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.
• understanding of the need for locally produced, environmentally-friendly and healthy food based on low carbon principles.

The lead partners in the project are Soil Association Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation. To read more about this exciting project an about the impact it has had on learning teaching then download the Interim Report (you will need a Glow password to access this link).

November 17th, 2011

International Science competition with YouTube

nickmorgan

Comments: none Tags: Tags: biology, physics, space
 : Categories ICT, international, sciences

The YouTube Space Lab http://www.youtube.com/spacelab?feature=etp-gs-space is an open competition inviting young people aged 14-18 to come up with an idea for a science experiment in space. Participants don’t actually have to do the experiment, they make a short video to describe and explain the idea, and then upload their video entry to the YouTube online service. Here their work will be evaluated by the judges and viewed by an international audience of millions.

Participants can work as individuals or in small teams to generate their idea and produce their video. The winning ideas will be conducted for real on the International Space Station (ISS), and broadcast live on YouTube for everyone to see. The overall winner will also get the chance to either watch the rocket take-off from Japan, or take a special astronaut training course in Russia when they reach the age of 18.

Given the wealth of talent in Scottish schools, it would be great to see a Scottish student achieve at this high level of international competition.

Full details on the Space Lab webpages. http://www.youtube.com/spacelab?feature=etp-gs-space  The competition is accepting entries until 7th December 2011.

October 28th, 2011

Travelling Green

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: action, climate and energy, resources
 : Categories ICT, expressive arts, games and sport, health and wellbeing, languages, sciences, social studies, sustainable development

Travelling Green is a 6 week walking project which aims to encourage as many children as possible to change their method of travel to and from school, by increasing active commuting (walking) to school.

Travelling Green is an interdisciplinary project focusing on Health and Wellbeing with links to Science, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Technologies and Languages.

Children learn about walking time and distance, they chart their progress to a more active journey to school and learn about healthy eating, why walking is good for them and how to stay safe on the walk to school.

Who is it aimed at?

Travelling Green is aimed at P5s (9 year olds) in primary schools in Scotland, but it can also be used in composite classes.

What can it achieve?

Increases in overall physical activity. Setting realistic, individual, achievable physical activity targets.

What’s new with Travelling Green?

Sustrans has developed new, free, eye-catching interactive whiteboard flipcharts that can be used with any interactive whiteboard. The flipcharts complement the paper resource pack and provide more opportunities for engagement in the classroom. You can download the interactive resources for free from the Promethean Planet partnership pages.

More info is available on the Sustrans website.

October 26th, 2011

World’s biggest tidal scheme gets go-ahead

imenzies

Comments: none Tags: Tags: climate and energy
 : Categories renewables and climate change, sciences, sustainable development, technologies

The Scottish Government has approved plans for ‘the world’s largest tidal scheme’, which could help to create new engineering jobs for Scotland.

Scottish Power Renewables can now commence construction work on the £40 million project in the Sound of Islay. The scheme will have a ten-megawatt capacity – enough to power over 5,000 homes.

Scottish Power Renewables will also work closely with the Islay Energy Trust to provide social and economic benefits in the area, including using local marine contractors during installation and providing local jobs in construction during the onshore development phase.

To find out more read the article here.

Visit the STEM Central Renewables Area to investigate how you can use this context with your pupils.

These Glow Science Videos on Renewables may also help. (Glow login required)

October 18th, 2011

Forest Pitch – Meet the artist in a Glowing Thursday!

mfarrell

Comments: none Tags:  : Categories biodiversity, citizenship, commonwealth, community, creativity, curriculum areas, expressive arts, games and sport, health and wellbeing, international, primary schools, sciences, scottish culture, social studies, sustainable development

Glowing Thursday 10th November 2011

Forest Pitch – football strip design competition!

Meet the artist!

Join us on 10th November at 11am on Glow TV!

An opportunity to meet Scottish artist Craig Coulthard, creator of the highly innovative art project Forest Pitch. Funded by Creative Scotland and part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Forest Pitch will culminate in two football matches between amateur players who have recently taken up British citizenship.  At the Scottish Learning Festival in September this year Craig launched a football strip design competition for primary age children to come up with exciting and innovative designs for the football strips that the players will wear.

As an arts project, Forest Pitch encourages debate about national identity, citizenship, the natural world, sustainability and participation in sport.

If you have already signed up for the competition or are thinking about doing so, then join us for this exciting Glowing Thursday to find out more and get some artist’s tips and advice.

Find out more about the competition, sign up and download the design brief and support materials here

And don’t forget – taking part in this competition is a great way of demonstrating a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values and joining the London 2012 Get Set Network.  Do this before 16th December and qualify for FREE tickets for the Olympics! Find out more >>