SATS analysis with Google Docs

I was conducting a question level analysis of our national curriculum tests, looking for topics where there were difficulties (and comparing how pupils with ASD performed in how science works questions). Having devised a template on Excel I proceeded to enter data for my pupils.  Having completed the task it dawned on me that there …

Using Google Documents to work collaboratively

I’ve used Google Documents in class before but the need had never arisen for pupils to write on the same document at the same time. With collaborative working being an important skill in science, I decided to get my year 7 class to work collaboratively on the same document. Their task was to write a …

Google Sites – making a site and its use in the classroom

I’ve used Google’s suite of products to put together my sites.  I’ve used blogger for my main page/blog, I use Google Apps for email, docs and calendar.  I finally decided to use Google Sites (for Google Apps) to build a Wiki-ish website to store the resources I previously hosted on a wiki. For those of …

Electronic lesson planning

For years I have used a paper diary – having trialled a PDA some time ago and moved back to paper.  Being a user of technology I decided to look for a better way of planning using technology. First of all I trialled Google Calendar as advocated by Doug Belshaw in his blog.  I liked …

New KS3 Science Scheme

With the new slimmed down National Curriculum for Science comes a change in emphasis.  Quite wisely the QCA have decided that it is no longer acceptable to just fill children with facts that they will regurgitate in an exam.  There has been a change in emphasis from facts to skills.  Accompanying the statutory requirements is …

Assessment for Learning

It’s amazing how many people I meet on my travels who struggle with the concept of assessment for learning (AfL). Some people think it’s a new invention, others think that it is something that must be shoe-horned into schemes of work in a formulaic way along with a 3 part lesson. Some people get obsessed …