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1. Description of Our Community
We decided that our community would include Bolton and its neighbouring towns and cities, because we wanted to focus on our school locality, and showcase some of the exciting attractions available locally, which have provided us with learning opportunities and helped us to make sense of the world in which we live, and identify the contributions that we have and can make to the wider global community.
2. Summary of Our Project
Our project is about local attractions within a bus ride of the town centre of Bolton, so this includes the neighbouring city of Manchester. Younger children focused upon attractions within walking distance of school, which were of interest and within their immediate experience. • Reception-cafes and restaurants which led to a class project about the Chinese New Year with our four and five year olds. They tried lots of Chinese food and made cards • Year 1-Smithills Open Farm for our 5-6 year olds. They rode on donkeys, handled animals, had a tractor ride, and learned lots about animal coverings. • Year 2-Bolton Museum, Art Gallery and Aquarium for our 6-7 year olds. For some of our children the visits were a first time experience and they were amazed, especially at the art exhibition! Our older children visited several places, which were further a field. • Year 3- our 7/8 year olds went to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and made some remarkable discoveries; • Year 4- our 8/9 year olds visited a Tudor Manor House museum called Hall-ith Wood, a short ten minute walk from school( most had never been there before!) and spent the day in role as Tudor people • Year 5- our 9/10 year olds visited the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, which is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, and is a modern contrast to the museums, and learned about what goes on in a theatre behind the scenes.
3. Our Computer and Internet Access
A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%
B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:none
C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection
D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:4-6
E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):
School has an ICT suite with 15 computers, a printer and a server, plus 2 mini suites each housing 5 computers, one with its own printer. Each class has an interactive whiteboard and wireless connections to the server, and all staff have a teacher laptop to use in class.
We used computers available in school to word process information and write letters, telephones to arrange visits, digital cameras to document trips and visits and record all the activity taking place in school, and the internet for research
4. Problems We Had To Overcome
Time to construct the web pages has been an issue because we are a leading Bolton primary school and have hosted numerous visits from other schools regarding a range of curricular developments, hence some classes have been unable to upload their work onto the website in time for the deadline as the teachers with the appropriate expertise have been otherwise engaged.At a later date, these classes will be given the opportunity to add their work, after the cyberfair is finished, as we see our website as a continuously evolving project
5. Our Project Sound Bite
Our children have had some brilliant opportunities to experience the richly diverse attractions within a bus ride from their school, and the repercussions of their experiences has meant that some of the less affluent families are now aware of the exciting opportunities available to them.
6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?
Our activities involved the Geography programmes of study, science, drama,art, history, life skills, ICT skills, teamwork. Each class focused upon their attraction and worked together as a team to apportion out the workload and decide upon which pictures and information they wanted to use on the website. A lot of speaking and listening and decision making took place, as well as aspects from the citizenship study programmes. Children developed their self confidence to talk to people at the venues, and some took on role plays acting as Tudor people. All their experiences were drawn together through use of the internet and ICT as a permanent record of their experiences and achievements.
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