Summary: | KS1 Science: At the Hills Lower School in Bedfordshire, Teacher Sarah Cottenden conducts a lesson to raise awareness of the constituents of a healthy diet for her Year 1 class, using resources linked to Ready to Learn? The Experiment. After a lively aerobics session, the class starts off by creating a mind map on why we need food and water, and they discuss the role of fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet.Then each child chooses their favourite fruit from the display of fruit and vegetables before them, and draws their selection on a sticky note. Their drawings form a pictogram - a tally chart which demonstrates the class's favourite fruit. By the end of the lesson, the children understand that eating fruit and vegetables not only keep them healthy, they also help them to be ready to learn. Former science teacher Matthew Tosh discusses some possible lesson alternatives, and explains why children can only take part in Ready to Learn? The Experiment in the morning. KS2 Science: A useful example of a lesson designed to encourage pupils to consider the ways in which they learn best, raising awareness of the factors that can affect this, and helping them to take ownership of their own learning.This programme also shows how, at Key Stage 2, teachers can make a link between the science curriculum and Ready to Learn? The Experiment as it runs. At the Hills Lower School in Bedfordshire, teacher Carol Humphries adapts the KS2 lesson plan and resources linked to Ready to Learn? The Experiment, downloadable from Teachers TV. She begins her Year 4 lesson with a card sort and discussion. After a vigorous session of brain gym , the children explore the various factors that affect their mental state. At the end of the lesson, the children come up with their own top tips on how to make themselves more ready to learn. Former science teacher Matthew Tosh discusses possible alternatives to the lesson plan. KS3 Science: What factors affect pupils readiness to learn? And how can we properly test those factors? Holly Power and Kate O Gorman from Riddlesdown High School in Purley, Surrey demonstrate how the topic of readiness to learn can not only fit in with their Year 8 class curriculum requirements, but can also encourage pupils to be more aware of their own learning environment. They have adapted a lesson plan available for download from Teachers TV designed by former science teacher Matthew Tosh.The lesson focuses on food and drink, with pupils researching which foods are good for the brain and then trying the caffeine experiment, which tests response rate. Another experiment shown considers extraneous variables and has the pupils enjoying distracting one another as they attempt to take a test. The lesson is concluded with the pupils thinking about their own individual perfect learning day in order to consolidate all what they have learnt in the lesson. KS4 Science: How could pupils go about planning a mass participation event such as Ready to Learn? The Experiment with so many factors and variables? This KS4 lesson centres on improving pupils data collection skills as well as encouraging proper consideration of their validity as evidence. Tim Davis, a teacher at the Robert Clack School in Dagenham, Essex, demonstrates how the topic of readiness to learn can not only fit in with his Year 10 class curriculum requirements, but can also be made relevant to his pupils specific needs. He has adapted a lesson plan available for download from Teachers TV. It was designed by Matthew Tosh, a former science teacher who comments on further possible variations. The teacher focuses his lesson on fitness and exercise, with pupils doing an experiment that tests the effects of exercise on the brain. Pupils practice collecting data and then go on to analyse their experiment's success.
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