Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Nicola,
I think using Google Sheets to track spelling data over the course of the year is a practical way to monitor pupil progress. Having a running record of each child’s progress would also be very useful when meeting with parents, as you can confidently discuss specific strengths and areas for development using real evidence rather than just an overall score. It would also help when planning the next steps in teaching and really help the SET teacher for any children that are struggling. I think sharing the template with other staff is a great idea too, as it would provide a consistent approach across the school and support whole-school improvement.My SSE focus is to improve assessment for learning in 5th Class by gathering regular pupil feedback and using it to inform my teaching. I have chosen to focus on SESE topics as subjects such as English, Irish and Maths already have more structured and regular assessment opportunities. I think using Google Workspace will allow me to assess the childrens understanding more effectively across History, Geography and Science throughout the year.
I will use Google Forms to create short quizzes and exit tickets after each SESE topic and Google Classroom to assign and monitor the activities. The digital evidence I plan to gather includes quiz results, pupil responses and feedback from exit tickets. This information will help me identify any unclear areas, I can adapt future lessons and provide extra support where needed. It will also allow me to monitor progress over time and reflect on the effectiveness of my own teaching as part of the SSE process.I really liked your idea of using the Zoom In Zoom Out Village Detective as a lesson starter. I agree that it would be a great way to capture the children’s attention and get them thinking before introducing the topic.
I think that one of the biggest benefits of using the Brainstormer Gem is it provides lots of ideas but we can use our professional judgement to choose the ones that best meet our class needs. I also agree that it encourages us to move beyond the textbook and think of more engaging ways to introduce new topics. The textbook is good for facts and information but activities like these can help develop children’s curiosity and encourage them to ask questions, think critically and become more active participants in their own learning.I asked the Brainstormer Gem to help me plan a 5th Class History lesson to support our work on The Great Famine while linking with the novel Under the Hawthorn Tree. I wanted to find an activity that would encourage pupils to think about what life was like for children during this period.
One suggestion was for pupils to create a newspaper front page reporting on events during the Famine. I adapted the activity by asking pupils to work in pairs so they could discuss ideas and support one another before creating their final newspaper. It also suggested including a checklist of key features, such as a headline, illustration, caption and eyewitness account which I think are great to help pupils produce a well-structured piece of work.
Another suggestion was to create a timeline using information generated by the Gem. I decided not to use this as timelines can be used for a number of topics and I wanted pupils to get use of their knowledge based on the novel also.
I checked the information provided by the Gem against reliable sources and made sure the language and activities were suitable for 5th Class pupils. I did not enter any pupil names, school details or personal information.
The Gem was a useful planning tool because it generated ideas quickly and helped me think of different ways to approach a topic that I have previously taught. I still needed to review, adapt and decide which activity best suited my class and the lesson objectives.Using a recent school tour is a great idea because it gives every child something meaningful to write about. I also thought your adaptations for pupils who find writing difficult were excellent. Allowing them to use an audio recording or pictures makes the lesson more inclusive and gives everyone the opportunity to show their understanding. I like your idea of using an exit ticket to gather pupil feedback before moving on to the next stage of writing. It is a simple way to check understanding and identify any areas that may need revisiting.
I also agree that using a shared Google Drive will make it much easier to organise resources and keep evidence of pupils’ work in one place.
We already use Google Workspace in our school and I particularly like to use Google Classroom with my class. I use it to assign projects and classwork. I find it very useful as I can check in on pupils’ work as they are completing it rather than waiting until it has been submitted. Giving the pupils a quick comment or piece of feedback during the task helps keep them focused and lets them know I am monitoring their progress. It also provides opportunities for timely assessment and support.
Following this module, I plan to make greater use of other Google Workspace features, particularly Google Forms, to gather pupil voice as part of our School Self-Evaluation process. I also like the idea of using Google Forms as exit tickets at the end of a topic or lesson. This would give pupils an opportunity to reflect on their learning identify anything they are still unsure about and provide me with immediate feedback to help plan the next steps in teaching.
The built-in accessibility features, such as voice typing, read aloud and closed captions also help make learning more inclusive by supporting pupils with different learning needs.Hi Nicola,
I really enjoyed reading about your learning sequence. I liked how you used a quiz after the video as it gives pupils an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned straight away. Your decision to enable Read Aloud with Mote was an excellent adaptation and shows how small changes can make learning more accessible for all children particularly those who may struggle with reading independently.
I also agree that Google Classroom is a great way to organise resources, assignments and assessments in one place. In our school, pupils from 3rd to 6th Class have Google accounts (with email disabled) and it has worked really well. It keeps their work secure, and everything is automatically saved to Google Drive so there is no worry about losing files. By the time pupils reach 6th Class they can look back at projects and work they completed in previous years which is a lovely way for them to see their progress. I also find that when children are asked to type stories or projects instead of writing them by hand, they tend to produce much more detailed work and are more willing to edit and improve it. I also use google classroom alot for various reasons so I do recommend looking into it further.
Sarah
I decided to create a lesson that follows on from pupils’ European country presentations I spoke about in the previous assignment. After each group presents their project the class completes a google forms quiz based on the information they have learned from their classmates.
One design choice I made was to create the quiz using a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. This allows pupils to demonstrate their understanding in different ways while giving immediate feedback through google forms. It also keeps all pupils actively engaged during the presentations, as they know they will complete the quiz afterwards. I will encourage taking notes. I think this will keep them interested during their classmates presentations
If I were to adapt this lesson I would ask pupils to create one or two quiz questions for the class after completing their presentation.
Google Forms provides useful assessment data that can help me as a teacher to reflect on teaching and learning, monitor pupil progress and identify areas for improvement.I used Gemini to help generate ideas for a 5th Class Geography project where pupils research a European country and present their findings using Google Slides. My educational purpose was clear as the activity supports research skills, use of class chromebooks and oral presentation while linking with the Geography curriculum.
When creating my prompt I made sure not to include any pupil names, my school name or any personal information. I reviewed all of Gemini’s suggestions before using them and checked that the information was accurate and suitable for my class. I also ensured that the language and activities were age-appropriate. Before using any AI-generated content I would adapt it where necessary to meet the needs of my class and ensure it aligned with the learning objectives.
Gemini suggested creating a travel brochure about a European country. I decided not to use this idea because I wanted pupils to focus more on research and presenting factual information. A Google Slides presentation better suited my learning objectives. I would maybe use this idea to further develope the topic when they know more about their country or if I wanted the class to work in groups it would be a great addition but for this purpose I wanted individual projects to be presented.
Hi Carol, I think the oral history interview is a good way to help children connect with their local community while developing their communication and research skills. I also like your adaptation of focusing on one specific theme as it would make the interviews more manageable and allow children to explore the topic in greater depth rather than lots of questions being asked with short answers. I also liked your consideration of responsible AI particularly avoiding the inclusion of personal or identifiable information.