Telling stories through sculpture
Sculptures have fascinated people for centuries. Renowned sculptor Hazel Reeves has created lesson resources designed to ignite students’ excitement about this powerful art form. In the lesson students will explore how Hazel’s sculpture of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst tells a story through its stance and describes Hazel’s process, from initial drawings to final fabrication. Students are encouraged to develop their own idea for a sculpture that tells a story through its pose. This is a great chance to combine History and Art together and make an impactful difference in students understanding of what scultpors are and the process behind them. Click on the link below to access the lesson resources.
VE Day Arts & Crafts Celebration
8th May marks Victory in Europe (VE) Day, a significant event commemorating the Allied victory over fascism in Europe and the end of nearly a decade of devastation. The first VE Day celebration in 1945 saw millions of people take to the streets across Britain to rejoice. Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace as King George VI and Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony to mark the momentous occasion. Reading Museum has put together a fantastic collection of resources, allowing students (and even their caregivers) to engage in a variety of arts and crafts projects. Activities include dressing up as a 1940s child, learning to dance the Lindy Hop, and much more. This is a great opportunity to organise a community event or set it as a creative homework task. Reading Museum also offers additional resources, including an Online Activity Chart related to VE Day. To learn more about the Arts & Crafts and their other resources follow the link below:
Easter lesson resources
Easter is a celebratory time in schools, marking the end of the Spring term and the start of the Summer term. It is a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. With these lesson resources from BBC Teach, you can introduce these concepts in small, bite-sized chunks, helping students gain a better understanding of this important religious event. Follow this link to learn more:
Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month and it’s a great time to introduce your students to a wide range of women throughout history. It is important to tell students that it wasn’t until 1928 when all women received the right to vote in the United Kingdom. The official UK Parliament’s website has created a wonderful illustrated workbook for students of a primary age to learn about a wide range of women from different backgrounds who have impacted UK laws and equal rights. One of the women included is Barbara Castle who was one of the longest-serving female MPs in British history. To learn more follow the link below:
Can you rob a bank?
CyberSkills Live have developed a fantastic resource intended to teach learners about ethical hacking. Hacking is a buzz word in the technology space, and they are the demons we fear in the dark. This activity will put students into the shoes of the cybercriminal and show them how to conduct ethical hacking. They will learn the important skills of: Remotely accessing, gaining log in details and moving funds. Through this activity, students will develop key skills such as: Here’s what the activity involves: This is an incredibly fun and interactive activity for your students, but be warned, you might find yourself “hacked” by one of them! Follow the link to try it out!
Lunar New Year
In the West, we celebrate the New Year at the end of December and the beginning of January. Many of you and your students are likely looking back fondly on this event. However, in China, the New Year is celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar. This means their New Year begins on 29th January 2025 and concludes 15 days later with the spectacular Lantern Festival. The Chinese New Year is a vibrant cultural celebration and an excellent opportunity to broaden your students’ understanding of global traditions. This year, we’ll be welcoming the Year of the Snake, following last year’s Year of the Dragon. To help your students learn more about this fascinating event and enhance their cultural capital, check out the fantastic resources available on BBC Teach. They offer a variety of engaging materials designed to bring the Chinese New Year to life in your classroom. With this second link you can see what animal relates to the year you and your students were born in so you can find out which animals you are. This is perfect for mixed form groups.
Safer Internet Day 2025
Mark your calendars! The BBC’s new flagship Safer Internet Day goes live on Tuesday, 11th February 2025. The interactive lesson is aimed at primary schools and primary students. It will address key online safety concerns and encourage young people to discuss and respond to online issues. As students grow up in an increasingly technology-driven world, where more of their time is spent online, it’s vital they understand how to handle any issues they may encounter. Safer Internet Day is co-ordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre in partnership with Childnet. While it is a couple of months until the lesson goes live have a think about any questions you would like to be answered. To get involved email your requests to live.lessons@bbc.co.uk with Safer Internet Day as the subject, or get in touch using #BBCLiveLessons. The link is below
October is Black History Month
As a teacher in the UK you should be aware that October is Black History Month. This serves as a reminder that Black history is a vital part of British history, often overlooked in traditional narratives as it began in the Roman period, long before any concept of the United Kingdom or any of its member nations existed. It was first observed in the UK in 1987, inspired by the American initiative but adapted to focus on the unique experiences and history of Black people in Britain. To support you in teaching about this History the BBC has produced a wealth of resources from KS1-KS4. You can use these in your class, your form time or any assemblies you do. In it you will find videos and lesson activities. If you want some more practicallesson activities to explore this history then Twinkle has many available for its members and even some of them are free.
Help Defend the Rhino!
Cyber Skills Live offers an engaging resource that combines technology and wildlife conservation, ideal for UK classrooms. Based on a real-life conservation effort in South Africa, this activity takes students on a journey where they collect data from Kruger National Park, analyse patterns and identify any suspicious activities to help protect endangered wildlife. Students will develop essential skills in data science, machine learning, and the Internet of Things, all while contributing to a case study on conservation. This hands on learning activity makes complex concepts like data analysis both relevant and exciting, especially for students passionate about technology and the environment. This resource is suitable for students of all abilities and can be delivered either as a classroom activity for younger students or an individual activity for older students. This makes it a great way to cover IT and conservation within the curriculum. Having tried it out I can say that it not only builds knowledge but also provides you an insight on the future of conservation.