New resources and websites to explore (and many of them are FREE!)

At the start of our last Primary Humanities Network meeting in January, I highlighted a number of new websites, useful web-links and mostly FREE resources, which would certainly be worthwhile perusing when you have a few spare minutes (wishful thinking, I know!).  These included the following:

• EYFS (why is it important to bring diversity into EYFS settings: https://www.teachearlyyears.com/enabling-environments/view/why-its-important-to-bring-diversity-into-early-years-settings and reference to the latest EYFS reforms: https://www.teachearlyyears.com/nursery-management/view/eyfs-reforms-what-you-need-to-know)

• NACE (boosting more able learners with cognitive challenge: https://www.teachwire.net/news/nace-boost-more-able-learners-with-cognitive-challenge);

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (rapid evidence assessment relating to distance learning: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/distance-learning-rapid-evidence-assessment/);

• Mr A, Mr C and Mr D (their resource round-up for 2020: https://www.mracdpresent.com/post/resource-round-up-2020 and Reading Spine 2020: https://www.mracdpresent.com/copy-of-free-book-maps);

• The School Run (support for remote/home learning – best history resources and You Tube channels: https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-history-home-schooling-resources and https://www.theschoolrun.com/best-youtube-channels-for-home-learning);

• CLPE (‘What We’ll Build – Notes for our Together Future’, teaching notes for primary schools: https://clpe.org.uk/aboutus/news/clpes-what-well-build-notes-our-together-future-teaching-notes-primary-schools and their staff picks 2020: https://clpe.org.uk/library/booklists/clpe-staff-picks-2020);

• Teachit Primary (‘Closing the word gap at home: a toolkit for parents’: https://www.teachitenglish.co.uk/resources//closing-the-word-gap-a-toolkit-for-parents/36364);

• Just Imagine (‘Take One Book’, a flexible literature-based framework for teaching English and one example that related strongly to geography, ‘The pebble in my pocket’: https://www.takeonebook.org/?mc_cid=476aa87331&mc_eid=80680c8648);

• Pobble 365 (worth exploring regularly to see if there are any literacy/English and geography or history links: https://www.pobble365.com/);

• The Economist’s Educational Foundation (their ‘News literacy’ certainly provides ‘stretch and challenge’ to Upper Key Stage 2 pupils and beyond: https://economistfoundation.org/news-literacy/);

• The Guardian (their ‘Happy News Project’ would be a great means of linking ‘geography in the News’ items and SMSC in school: https://www.theguardian.com/newswise/2020/jun/04/happy-news-transition-project);

• Earth Day 2021 (https://www.earthday.org/press-release/building-on-the-growth-and-resilience-of-the-environmental-movement-worldwide-earth-day-network-launches-restore-our-earth-as-2021-theme/);

• World’s largest lesson (climate education for everyone and new climate change resources (https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/campaign/2020-climate-campaign/);

• My 2050 carbon calculator (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carbon-calculator and https://my2050.beis.gov.uk/?);

• National Schools Partnership (their Alupro – Masters of Infinity initiative is one for Geography Subject Leaders or Eco School Coordinators to explore: https://nationalschoolspartnership.com/initiatives/alupro-masters-of-infinity/);

• Lonely Planet (a great new atlas and a lovely resource that integrates history, geography and literacy/English: https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/amazing-world-atlas-134 and https://www.lonelyplanet.com/kids);

• The Empathy Museum (‘A mile in my shoes’ ESOL additions and ‘From where I’m standing’, audio stories and portraits from 2020: https://soundcloud.com/user-341792572/sets/esol-a-mile-in-my-shoes/s-P6QF0RamN7L,  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/P53K92V and https://fromwhereiamstanding.empathymuseum.com/);

• Digimap for Schools (new resources added to their library, especially those targeting ‘locational knowledge’: http://digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk/ and https://dfsresources.edina.ac.uk/);

• The Spirit of Normandy (there are two competitions that may be of interest/relevance to those that you teach, namely their Young Historian Project and a VE Day poster task: https://spiritofnormandy.org.uk/70-2/);

• Teachwire (an article about tailoring primary history lessons to your school’s context: https://www.teachwire.net/news/primary-history-curriculum-tailor-primary-history-lessons-to-reflect-your-schools-context).

All the leading subject associations have been very proactive recently too.  For example, the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) has announced a new series of resources from their ‘Weddell Sea – Education for Antarctic Conservation’ project work, funded by the Flotilla Foundation.  You can visit www.rgs.org/dws for access to interactive resources, a new poster and details about their new Discovering the Weddell Sea Album.  The digital album is available as an app on Windows, iOS and Android, with an associated Instagram campaign to unlock ‘snapshots’ including photographs and information: https://www.rgs.org/schools/teaching-resources/discovering-the-weddell-sea-education-for-antarc).  They have also advertised a Primary Geography and History Teach Meet, which I am looking forward to attending and presenting at (https://www.rgs.org/events/spring-2021/primary-geography-and-history-teachmeet-(1)/).

The Geographical Association (GA) had some great suggestions in their newsletter last week relating to ‘Everyday geography’, ‘Geography matters’, ‘Members’ magic’, ‘In the News’, ‘GeogPod – series 4’, recommended resources, their Annual Conference 2021 and additional online CPD opportunities, a couple of which I am involved with (https://www.geography.org.uk/events/in-the-know-webinar-series/10598?OccId=15195).

Let me know if you use any of the above, both in and beyond the classroom (for remote/home-learning and outside).  I would love to see exemplars of pupils' work too!