How was it used?

I have used a selection of the thinking skill ideas outlined in the resource with my year 5/6 class.

I found that careful selection of appropriate activities encouraged the children to focus and share their views and opinions as well as challenging some of their previous assumptions on the areas studied.

The activities can be run at an interactive whiteboard to initiate or consolidate a whole discussion or task or given to smaller groups as a way of presenting their opinions or findings.

Overall, the use of these activities provided opportunities to introduce and extend the work covered in our existing schemes of work whilst giving pupils the confidence to tackle some sensitive issues.

Impact and Outcomes

A lot of children in class can find it difficult to communicate their feelings and issues re: Internet Safety but using this technology and these types of activities gives them much more opportunity to develop alongside their peers, whilst acting as excellent tools for thinking and learning.

These activities have encouraged pupils to reflect further on topics and issues beyond home and the classroom, giving them ways of reflecting on wider issues.  This has been enforced by the school signposting additional and child friendly safety sites for pupils to look at with adults at home.

Pupils seemed to listen more carefully when others were engaged with the whiteboard activities and more willing to take turns with their opinions.  The children provided each other with good peer support.

Learner Feedback

It was good to talk about the things that worry me at home.

It was really interesting to find out other children's’ points of view.

It was helpful to look at the pretend email site while thinking of my own.

A lot of my friends are thinking more about what information they give out on the Internet.

Other Resources

Paper copies of activities for work at desks if reqd.; Pupil versions of the ppt files on server for easy access by pupils; list of e-safety sites to look at with adults at home.

Lessons Learnt

Sending weblinks home was appreciated by parents who could share in the discussion.  They didn’t feel like it was just them ‘nagging’!  They have asked if we can put the ppt onto our website so they can look at it again with their children at home.

Lots of pupils (who thought they knew it all re: Internet) had their confidence knocked at the start but they now feel more informed.