Free open educational resources from the University of Edinburgh to download and adapt for primary and secondary teaching.
Winner of the 2021 OEGlobal Awards for Excellence Open Curation Award for this collection of high quality student made OER on the TES platform.
Free open educational resources from the University of Edinburgh to download and adapt for primary and secondary teaching.
Winner of the 2021 OEGlobal Awards for Excellence Open Curation Award for this collection of high quality student made OER on the TES platform.
Four lessons giving an introduction to volcanoes and various aspects of geology: Volcano Experiments,
“The Debate to Save Heimaey”, Volcanic Eruption Research, and a Field Trip.
Educational Level 2 and 3
(SCN 2-17a, SCN 2-19a, SOC 2-07b, SOC 3-07a, TCH 2-02a, LIT 2-02a, EXA 2-14a)
This resource makes use of a variety of educational approaches to introduce learners to volcanoes and various aspects of geology. There are four lessons in this resource that lead on from one another.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Volcanos
Lesson 2: Eruption of Eldfell - The Debate to Save Heimaey
Lesson 3: Volcanic Eruption Research
Lesson 4: Arthur’s Seat Field Trip
Created as part of the School of Geosciences’ Outreach Programme, which allows students in their final year to work in partnership with a local school to develop a set of lesson plans.
Author: Isla Simmons
Unless otherwise stated all content is released under a CC-BY 4.0 license.
Cover image is: Fissure eruption in Holurhraun (Iceland), 13. September 2014 by Joschenbacher (Wikimedia), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This resource is on forces, specifically gravity, and includes a ten-minute video and a PDF with four follow up activities. Including: recommended books to borrow, watching a video, doing a quiz, researching and conducting your own experiment. The target audience for this resource is children aged 8-11 years-old. There is also another session which follows the same structure but is about forces, called: Spaceman Sam and Comets.
This resource aims to encourage borrowing books from the library - particularly books relating to STEM subjects. This project focuses on forces which is a key area of physics outlined in the Science Benchmarks, Experiences & Outcomes (Es & Os) in the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). This project also utilises principles of active learning by following the stories with a variety of activities. These are very versatile and aim to reinforce the knowledge introduced during the stories. The activities range from less to more involved so the participants can progress through them, but they also serve as standalone activities.
This resource bundle includes the following:
The Forces Video is available to watch via the link in the Word document, titled ‘Forces Fiona asks about Gravity’ on Media Hopper Create website, the University of Edinburgh. The video is written and read by Amy Cook
The follow up activities sheet accompanying the video is Forces Fiona Activities, it is available in a downloadable PDF.
SCN 2-08a I have collaborated in investigations to compare magnetic, electrostatic and gravitational forces and have explored their practical applications.
SCN 2-20a (Topical Science): Through research and discussion I have an appreciation of the contribution that individuals are making to scientific discovery and invention and the impact this has made on society.
LIT 2-04a: As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, main ideas and supporting detail contained within the text, and use this information for different purposes.
LIT 2-07a: I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of my own.
ENG 2-12a: Through developing my knowledge of context clues, punctuation, grammar and layout, I can read unfamiliar texts with increasing fluency, understanding and expression.
To find more Open Educational Resources from the University of Edinburgh, visit open.ed.ac.uk.
This resource was created as part of the GeoScience Outreach Course which is a 4th year undergraduate course in the School of GeoSciences aiming to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own science communication and engagement project.
This resource was originally developed for the City of Edinburgh Libaries.
Author: Amy Cook, adapted by Alysha Wilson.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
This resource includes five wizard/magic themed activities introducing 5 different concepts (Chemical Reactions, Density, Solids and Liquids, Logic and Languages) to second level students. For each activity session there is the Es &Os, a list of equipment and materials, the aim of the activity, an explanation of the activity and suggestions for extending the activity. We strongly recommend teachers try out the activity before asking the students to do them.
Learning outcomes
Sciences
Chemical changes
SCN 2-19a: I have collaborated in activities which safely demonstrate simple chemical reactions using everyday chemicals. I can show an appreciation of a chemical reaction as being a change in which different materials are made.
Properties and uses of substances
SCN 2-15a: by contributing to investigations into familiar changes in substances to produce other substances, I can describe how their characteristics have changed.
**Processes of the planet **
SCN 2-05a: I can apply my knowledge of how water changes state to help me understand the processes involved in the water cycle in nature over time.
MTH 2-12a: I have worked with others to explore and present our findings on, how mathematics impacts on the world and the important part it has played in advances and inventions.
MLAN 2-11b: I can make comparisons and explore connections between spelling patterns in English and the language I am learning.
MLAN 2-11d: I can recognise and comment on other features of my own language which help to make sense of words in the language I am learning.
This resource bundle includes pdf and editable versions of the following:
• Activity plans;
Potion 1: Explosion Potion
Potion 2: Magic Liquids
Potion 3: Slimy Potion
Code Breaking
Latin Spells
• Documents Included:
Activity Sheets, with a beginners and advanced version for the Latin Spells activity.
A teacher’s guide to delivering the activities (including the answers for the worksheets).
A risk assessment for teachers to complete.
Optional introductory letter for the participants available in black and white.
Optional certificate for the participants available in black and white and full colour.
This resource was created as part of the GeoScience Outreach Course which is a fourth year undergraduate course in the School of GeoSciences aiming to provide students with the opportunity to develop their own science communication and engagement project.
This resource was originally developed for the holiday club at St Francis’ RC Primary School
To find more Open Educational Resources from the University of Edinburgh, visit open.ed.ac.uk.
Author: Jennifer Struthers, adapted by Alysha Wilson. Co-authored by Kay Douglas and Alysha Wilson.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is released under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Cover Image
In this resource, pupils will learn how sensory stories from our oral history research reveal surprising details about life in mid-20th century Inverclyde. Pupils will also learn how to conduct their own sensory oral history interview to explore hidden histories in their local area.
Teachers and pupils can explore the role of sugar in shaping the history of Greenock and then conduct their own interviews to find out about the history of their local area – focusing on sights, smells, sounds and taste. Students can use objects and questions about the senses creatively to discover what life in their town was like in the past and compare this with other knowledge of the same historical period.
While this resource was originally designed for primary and secondary school children in Inverclyde to share local stories of Greenock’s sugar industry, it could easily be adapted to another area with an industrial past that could be explored using the same methods. This resource is also designed to be adaptable for students from P5 up to S3 classes (ages 10-15 years).
This resource bundle includes pdf and editable versions of the following:
• A PowerPoint presentation about Sensory Oral Histories (within the context of the sugar industry in Greenock)
• Teacher’s guide, including a lesson plan on Sensory Oral History interviews (an overview and practise outline)
• Student information sheet
• Student worksheet for interview practise
• An interviewee consent form
Learning Outcomes in the Curriculum for Excellence:
Social studies - SOC 2/3-01a; SOC 2/3-02a; SOC 2/3-03a; SOC 2/3-14a
• Develop my understanding of the history, heritage and culture of Scotland, and an appreciation of my local and national heritage within the world
• Learn how to locate, explore and link periods, people and events in time and place
• Learn how to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further afield
• Explore and evaluate different types of sources and evidence
Literacy & English - LIT2/3-26a; LIT 2/3-24a; LIT2-07a; LIT2/3-10a
Students will research local and global history by conducting sensory oral history interviews, applying their skills and understanding in a range of contexts and suitable formats. The writing format of the piece of text, accompanying historical materials, level of challenge, length and complexity of task are to be determined by the teacher.
This resource was created by Marisa Wilson and adapted by Amy Cook at The University of Edinburgh. Unless otherwise stated, all content is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
This resource contains two items, a detailed lesson plan and an accompanying slideshow/deck.
Created by The University of Edinburgh’s Wikimedian-in-Residence, Ewan McAndrew, the plan should assist any Wikipedia trainer in how to run a Wikipedia editing training sessions.
If you’re located in the UK, please message Wikimedia UK (info@wikimedia.org.uk) to let them know you are planning to run a training session as there are signup sheets, feedback forms and Wikimedia swag materials they can provide you with along with guidance about best practice. They can also potentially link you with Wikipedians in your area to help out at the session.
Cover image is Editing Wikipedia by Veronica Erb on Flickr, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.