Creative Teaching & Learning

Myths and Legends History Project Plans

A series of History project plans to support the teaching of the Myths and Legends topic. Projects include: The Trojan War and Ancient Rome.

History Project 1 – The Trojan War (Key Stages 1 and 2)

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#41378"
  ["title"]=>
  string(36) "Myths and Legends Curriculum Project"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(67) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/curriculum_resources_mythsandlegends/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1394496001)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-41378-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(167) "A creative cross curriculum project linked to the theme of the Myths and Legends. Ideal for Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1, 2 and beyond."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(464) "... 2)Myths and Legends Science Project PlansScience Project 1: Myth versus science (Key Stage 2)    Science Project 2: Mythical astronomy (Key Stage 2)																							Myths and Legends History Project PlansHistory Project 1: The Trojan War (Key Stages 1 and 2)    History Project 2: Ancient Rome (Key Stage 2)Myths and Legends ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(63) "Myths and Legends Curriculum Project"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "project"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(167) "A creative cross curriculum project linked to the theme of the Myths and Legends. Ideal for Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1, 2 and beyond."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "project"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5961) "(for digging graves).    Coyolxauhqui – moon goddess, daughter of Coatlicue and the ruler of the Centzon Huitznahuas, the star gods.    Ehecatl – god of wind. His breath moved the sun and pushed away rain. He fell in love with a human girl named Mayahuel, and gave mankind the ability to love so that she could return his passion.    Xochipilli – god of love, games, beauty, dance, flowers, maize and song. As one of the gods responsible for fertility and agricultural produce, he was associated with Tlaloc, god of rains, and Cinteotl, god of maize.     Omacatl – god of feasting, holidays and happiness, and an aspect of Tezcatlipoca. He is represented as a black and white figure, squatting and eating. As a god worshipped primarily by the wealthy, he wore a crown and a flower-decorated cloak and carried a sceptre.INDIAN GODS AND GODDESSESThe early Hindus accepted the religions and rituals of the original inhabitants of lndia. Primitive spirits, ‘godlings’ and animal totems of the tribal people of lndia were gathered into Hinduism. Initially revealed in the primal spiritual symbol ‘Om’, God appeared as an infinite pantheon of deities. Gods were heavenly beings who could descend to Earth as avatars and limitless incarnations. ‘Om’ is an evocation																							 of the universal soul – the Brahman. The Upanishads (Hindu philosophical texts  composed between 600 to 200 BC), explain the universe as creation of the ‘Brahman’. Every form of life is a revelation of the ‘Brahman’. The Brahman was known as ‘Nirguna’, without form, neither male nor female. Gradually, the formless ‘Nirguna Brahman’ evolved into ‘saguna Brahman’ (the Great God). The Brahman appeared as a male trinity, a three-faced god called ‘Trimurti’. The Trimurti has a human form, one body with three heads that express the cycle of life. As Brahma, he takes over the creation of the universe, Vishnu maintains dharma (righteousness) and order, and Shiva holds the power to destroy. Even the Trimurti evolved as each of the gods found celestial consorts (goddesses in their own right). Brahma’s consort was Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth appeared from the ocean and married Vishnu. Parvati danced before Shiva and broke his meditation – an entranced Shiva married Parvati and their children Kartikeya and Ganesha joined the heavenly family.WHAT IS A LEGEND?The word legend has several meanings. A legend today may be someone famous or well known. Another meaning of legend is a literary genre, usually used interchangeably with myths (albeit incorrectly). However, it makes more sense to use the term legend to name a type of literature that falls somewhere between myth, tall tales, and history. Myths tend to be focused on explaining natural phenomena, answering questions about why things are the way they are in the natural world, while legends focus on individuals and their accomplishments. Legends can also be distinguished from myths by virtue of them being fictional – people may once have believed they were true, but legends are invariably clever works of fiction, such as the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Other famous legends include Robin Hood and his Merry Men and the legend of Atlantis – a city under the sea.WHAT IS A TRADITIONAL STORY?Traditional stories are tales passed down through the generations. Some traditional stories will be oral; some will be written – and many have become popular fairytales or nursery rhymes, such as Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs and the Gingerbread Man. Some traditional stories are fables – a succinct story (in prose or verse) that features animals, plants or forces of nature that take on human qualities. Fables (and traditional stories in general) usually include a moral lesson at the end. Parables are also classed as traditional stories, however, these differ from fables in that they exclude animals, plants and inanimate objects.Download the Myths and Legends project plans below:																							Myths and Legends Literacy Project PlansLiteracy Project 1: Analysing traditional stories (Key Stage 1). Download the accompanying slideshow here.    Literacy Project 2: Herculean Literacy (Key Stage 2+). Download this project’s slidehow here.    Literacy Project 3: Mythical Storyboarding (Key Stage 2). This project’s slideshow is available for download here.    Literacy Project 4: The Legend of King Arthur (Key Stage 2)    Literacy Project 5: Arthurian adjectives (Key Stage 2)Myths and Legends Numeracy Project PlansNumeracy Project 1: Mythical (and legendary) maths (Key Stages 1 and 2). Download this project’s slideshow here.    Numeracy Project 2: Shield shapes (Key Stages 1 and 2)Myths and Legends Science Project PlansScience Project 1: Myth versus science (Key Stage 2)    Science Project 2: Mythical astronomy (Key Stage 2)																							Myths and Legends History Project PlansHistory Project 1: The Trojan War (Key Stages 1 and 2)    History Project 2: Ancient Rome (Key Stage 2)Myths and Legends Geography Project PlansGeography Project 1: Amazing Atlas (Key Stages 1 and 2)    Geography Project 2: An undersea search (Key Stage 2)Myths and Legends Drama Project PlansDrama Project 1: Mythical theatre (Key Stages 1 and 2)Myths and Legends Art & Design Project PlansArt & Design Project 1: Designing a mythology game (Key Stage 2)Myths and"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "history"
        [3]=>
        string(7) "project"
        [4]=>
        string(5) "plans"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Myths and Legends Curriculum Project

11 Mar 2014

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#40486"
  ["title"]=>
  string(17) "Myths and legends"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(46) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/mythsandlegends/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1366643207)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-40486-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(160) "A range of exciting online resources to help get your students interested in the fantastical world of myths, legends, fairytales and folklore."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(366) "... of all ages, to inspire in drama and art andto cultivate a desire to research ancient history and other cultures.Not all students will find myths and legends appealing, however.Complicated, convoluted plotlines and long, seemingly unpronounceablenames are just a few of the features of many myths and legends that ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(35) "Myths and legends"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(160) "A range of exciting online resources to help get your students interested in the fantastical world of myths, legends, fairytales and folklore."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5825) "Volume3.4nCreativeTeaching&Learning71e-learning–MythsandLegendsMyths andLegendsA range of exciting online resources to help get your studentsinterested in the fantastical world of myths, legends, fairytalesand folklore.The Hobbit, Brave, Twilight, Jack the Giant Slayer, Percy Jackson andthe Olympians… With the recent increase in Hollywood hits, videogames and teen fiction inspired by myths, legends and fairytales,students’ enthusiasm for all things mythological is at the highestit’s ever been. Teaching mythology is a great way to develop a love ofreading and writing in students of all ages, to inspire in drama and art andto cultivate a desire to research ancient history and other cultures.Not all students will find myths and legends appealing, however.Complicated, convoluted plotlines and long, seemingly unpronounceablenames are just a few of the features of many myths and legends that mightmake teaching them difficult. The great thing about the world of mythology,though, is that there’s always something that’ll interest everyone ifdelivered in the right way, and that’s something I’ve tried to keep in mindwhen putting together this compilation of websites and resources. Thereare video clips, audio stories, animations, interactive maps and games,extensive encyclopaedias – a whole range of resources to make myths,legends and folktales accessible and enjoyable for all students, no mattertheir preferred style of learning, ability or interests.This issue’s cross curricular project is based around the Middle Ages – atime shrouded in mystery, filled with fantastical tales of kings, castles andmonsters. You will find that some of the websites listed below fit perfectlywith the lesson plans detailed in this project – before your class createstheir own medieval bestiary, explore an enormous archive of legendarycreatures at Encyclopaedia Mythica or watch amazing CGI footage ofmythical monsters at history.com’s Monsterquest Monsterpedia. Wheninvestigating the truth behind the legend of Robin Hood, listen to audiostories of his adventures at Storynory.com, watch the animated tale of howRobin became an outlaw at Myths and Legends, or return to history.comto find out who historians believe Robin Hood really was.The possibilities these sites provide are endless, and, whether youchoose to use their resources as part of this issue’s cross curricularproject or not, I am sure you and your students will enjoy exploringthem as much as I did.e-learning–MythsandLegends72Volume3.4nCreativeTeaching&LearningMythology Teacher.com’s creator, a teacher from the USA, clearly loves mythology,and his enthusiasm is infectious. The site is bursting with myth and legend basedactivities and resources for all age groups, and is still growing.The free resources on this site cover a wide array of mythology – from Roman, Greekand Norse myths to Arthurian legend, Russian fairytales and the bible as literature.Resources for older students include worksheets on mythological allusions, acollection of myth inspired poems, and two web quests based on Ancient Greece andAncient Rome – both of which require some high level research. Teachers of youngerstudents can make use of simpler activities such as designing your own Arthurianstyle coat of arms or mythological Barbie/Action man figure. The site’s creator is alsoan illustrator and has drawn up some brilliant, brightly coloured cartoons of 16 Greek gods and goddesses (checkout the gallery of the gods).Another unique resource on this site is an interactive ‘Choose your own adventure’ style story based on the mythof Theseus and the Minotaur. The story is somewhat dramatised, but is engaging throughout and a great way forstudents to put themselves in the myth and get to know the characters and their motivations. A brilliant way tomake myths real.Bringing myths to life in the classroom is clearly a high priority for this site’s creator. He has written a number ofReader’s Theatre plays based on many different myths, all of which he has made available for download. You canfind scripts for the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, the Roman legend of Aeneas’ escape from the burning city of Troyand the Russian fairytale of the firebird and Princess Vassilissa. Witty, fast paced and entertaining, the site’s creatordescribes how even his class of American high-schoolers enjoyed using these plays in the classroom, and how actingout the myths inspired deep and thoughtful questions about character motivation and historical context.There are plenty of imaginative and exciting teaching resources on this site, as well as some great practical tipson how to put them to use. I’d recommend a visit.Geared directly at teachers, the Literacy Shed is brimming with visual resources toinspire and support creative writing, storytelling and the teaching of myths, legendsand fairytales. The site is divided into thematic ‘sheds’, and in each of these sheds, you’llfind a whole host of videos, images and resources to use in the classroom.Each video is accompanied with a brief summary, and in most cases, suggestions asto how it could be used practically as a teaching tool or what discussions and activitiesthe video might inspire. The suggestions are generally aimed at primary level literacylessons, but most of the videos on the site could be used with older students, and Ibelieve, across a whole range of subjects.There are many interesting sheds on this site, but sticking to the topic of myths and legends, there are a few in particularI’d recommend – the"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "history"
        [3]=>
        string(7) "project"
        [4]=>
        string(5) "plans"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Myths and legends

22 Apr 2013

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#41203"
  ["title"]=>
  string(40) "Activity 8 Resource Pack: Writing a myth"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(58) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/olympics-project-activity-8/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1391086927)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-41203-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(148) "The Olympics: Activity 8 Resource Pack. Students create a myth based on a solar or lunar eclipse, or to explain the beginning of the Olympic Games. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(392) "... Student introductionActivity sheet 10: Story of PelopsActivity sheet 5b: Success criteria checklist (Example)The resources in this pack have been improved since publication of this project. Because of this, you may notice minor discrepancies between the information in this pack and the plans featured in the magazine. GroupingsIndividual ProcedureRead the ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(40) "Activity 8 Resource Pack: Writing a myth"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(148) "The Olympics: Activity 8 Resource Pack. Students create a myth based on a solar or lunar eclipse, or to explain the beginning of the Olympic Games. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5658) "Activity 8 instructionsThe OlympicsActivity 8: Writing a mythDescription Students create a myth based on a solar or lunar eclipse, or to explain the beginning of the Olympic Games. They also create a success criteria checklist to use in peer marking and for future reference. Curriculum FocusCommunication – Reading, writing, speaking and listening.ICT – Use a range of search mechanisms.Thinking skills – Suggest a range of options as to where and how to find relevant information and ideas, determine success criteria and give some justification for choice, build on existing skills, knowledge and understanding required for the task. ResourcesIncluded in this pack:Activity Sheet 8: Student introductionActivity sheet 10: Story of PelopsActivity sheet 5b: Success criteria checklist (Example)The resources in this pack have been improved since publication of this project. Because of this, you may notice minor discrepancies between the information in this pack and the plans featured in the magazine. GroupingsIndividual ProcedureRead the story of Pelops (Activity sheet 10) and discuss the text type. There are a number of questions to consider at the end of the text – only the first two apply to this activity. Discuss question 1 as a class – what are the features of a myth?The activity can branch off into two alternate directions at this point. You may wish to consider question 2 and ask students if they can write their own myth to explain the beginning of the Olympics. There are a number of existing legends about the Olympics which students might like to research before they write their own.Alternatively, hand out Activity sheet 8 and explain that the students are going to create a myth to ‘explain’ the solar or lunar eclipse. They can link it to any country who has competed in the Olympic Games. They should find some way to link it to that country’s culture. You might like to examine a few existing myths to do with eclipse with your students.As an extension task, students could create a success criteria checklist, as was done with the biography writing in Activity 5. This list will be used to peer mark the pupils writing and can also be used in the future, when writing myths is returned to. Activity sheet 5b gives an example checklist for biographical writing. The people of ancient Greece used the gods and goddesses to explain what they did not understand. They believed Apollo, the god of light, got up each morning drove the sun across the sky in his chariot. They believed that Demeter, goddess of the earth, brought the four seasons, because her daughter, Persephone, was forced to spend wintertime in the underworld and she grieved her absence.If the people of ancient Greece were unable to explain natural phenomenon such as the sun rising and falling and the seasons, they explained them by using the gods, animals or inanimate objects. This is also true for other religions and cultures.Explaining the eclipseA solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, and the moon fully or partially blocks the sun. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. This was the kind of event the ancient Greeks would have felt had great portent, and would need a myth to explain why it happened.The word eclipse comes from a Greek word meaning ‘abandonment’. Quite literally, an eclipse was seen as the sun abandoning the Earth. Different cultures produced stories to explain why an eclipse happened.The ancient Chinese believed that a dragon or demon ate the sun. The people would make as much noise as possible during an eclipse, to frighten away the dragon. The Incas, like the Chinese, believed that their sun was being eaten and attempted to intimidate the creatures who were eating the sun.YOUR TASKYou will create a myth explaining either a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse. You can choose the country/culture that the myth is for.You may like to research different eclipse myths before you start your planning, to gain some ideas. The myth must be for a country who participates in the Olympic Games. Try and base the myth on some aspect of their culture or history.Before you start writing, work with your group to produce a success criteria checklist for writing a myth.Pelops was the son of Tantalus and Dione. One of his grandfathers was Zeus, King of the gods, and the other was Atlas, one of the Titans.Tantalus was a favourite of the Olympian gods, and was often invited to eat with them on Mount Olympus and enjoy the food and drink of the gods.One day, Tantalus invited the gods to eat dinner with him. As an offering to the gods, he cut up his son Pelops, stewed his flesh in a cauldron, and served him as a feast to the gods. The gods were not tricked by Tantalus and refused to eat their food. Only Demeter, who was grief stricken at the loss of her daughter Persephone, accepted the offering, absentmindedly eating part of the boy’s shoulder. The fates restored Pelops on the command of Zeus and replaced the missing piece of his shoulder with one of ivory.After his restoration, Pelops was more beautiful than he had been before. Poseidon, god of the sea and shaker of the earth, took the young man as an apprentice, and gave him winged horses and a chariot.Tantalus was killed by Zeus himself for his crime. His punishment was to spend the whole of his afterlife in the land of the shades, the underworld, governed by Hades. His torture was that he had to spend all of his time standing"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "history"
        [3]=>
        string(7) "project"
        [4]=>
        string(5) "plans"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Activity 8 Resource Pack: Writing a myth

30 Jan 2014

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#44424"
  ["title"]=>
  string(54) "Running with the Ball Improving Literacy through Sport"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(6) {
    [0]=>
    string(19) "Arts-Based Learning"
    [1]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
    [2]=>
    string(26) "English Writing and Poetry"
    [3]=>
    string(30) "Gaming and Play-Based Learning"
    [4]=>
    string(7) "Reading"
    [5]=>
    string(12) "Sport and PE"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(60) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/improvingliteracythroughsport/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1539167707)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-44424-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(237) "Being able to read, write and speak well underpins a child’s chances of success at school, at work and in life. But how do we begin to inspire children to pick up a book or a pen when it is often the last thing they want to do? Jim ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(386) "... explore some excellent adjectives you might hear in football TV commentaryHistoryThe history of the World CupPick your favourite country that plays football and explore the history of football in that countryWorld Cup legends: create a ‘who’s who?’ of World Cup legends from past competitionsThen and now: legends from previous ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(6) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(54) "Running with the Ball Improving Literacy through Sport"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(9) "Jim Sells"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(361) "Being able to read, write and speak well underpins a child’s chances of success at school, at work and in life. But how do we begin to inspire children to pick up a book or a pen when it is often the last thing they want to do? Jim Sells from the National Literacy Trust shares some ideas and resources for connecting reading to sport for motivating students."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5681) "features from the Football School books, allow them plenty of time for illustrations, cartoons, joke boxes and more.Don’t forget to entertain your pupils! Encourage them to think about the style of the Football School books. Can they find interesting or quirky facts linked to their chosen lessons? Can they invent jokes linked to their subject? Can they come up with quiz questions to bamboozle their classmates?Share the lesson plan checklist with your pupils to make sure they include a school crest, coaching stats, a timetable and a quiz.Pupil-led enquiryOne of the biggest motivators for writing is choice. This project encouraged pupils to be led by their own interests and ideas to research and write lessons which they think will intrigue and engage their peers: Reading comprehension, research skills, note-taking, critical literacy and creativity all came into play as pupils defined and planned the area they wanted to write about, and created their lessons.Modelling was key, so we enabled schools to use the original Football School books for guidance and to show pupils the style of writing they should use.The Football School books cover a vast range of subjects from core curriculum subjects like maths and science, to broader topics such as politics and philosophy. Pupils were able to choose any subject they like.Lesson ideas libraryIt can be hard to come up with ideas of what to write about, so we created a library of ideas to get pupils started. Pupils were able to choose one of these ideas to explore or use as a starting point to develop a line of enquiry and research. Alternatively, pupils could start with their favourite subject area and think about things they’d like to know about – raising questions is always a good place to start.Here are some lesson ideas from our World Cup teaching resources, which can be adapted for other sporting events and competitions, including the upcoming 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.   Subject area  Football lesson ideas EnglishWhat makes a good football match report?The language of football: create a glossary of football terms to help new fans join in with football feverThe language of superlatives: explore some excellent adjectives you might hear in football TV commentaryHistoryThe history of the World CupPick your favourite country that plays football and explore the history of football in that countryWorld Cup legends: create a ‘who’s who?’ of World Cup legends from past competitionsThen and now: legends from previous tournaments and competitions who are competing againGeographyA lesson on participating countries and their capital cities. What are their famous landmarks, characteristics, populations, climates?Where in the world? Find out which continent each of the participating nations belong to. How do the continents differ?A study of the host nation, its rivers, coasts, physical landmarks, climate, and key football citiesA greener competition? Find out more about the impact large sporting events have on the climateScienceHabitats around the world: how many different habitats are represented by regions, nations, or countries taking part? Which ones have similar habitats?Weather around the world: which teams are used to which types of weather?How do the winning athletes stay fit and healthy?Which animals are associated with each team?Art and designPick your favourite team and research famous artists and art works from that area. Are there any famous sculptures and are any of them outside football stadiums?Learn about any art installations that may be connected to the event (e.g. the exhibit in Volgograd celebrating the 2018 World Cup)Who are the famous architects and designers from the region/country of your favourite team?Design and technologyLearn how to design a team logo or football kit. Are there famous designers who have national kits to their name?Find out about the design of the new ‘green’ stadiums that are being developed for different events, including the Amsterdam ArenA, the Stadium of Siena, Stade Océane in Le Havre, the Volgograd in Moscow, and the new Qatar stadiums that are being built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.Designed for success: what is special about the designs for match balls and the latest football boots the stars will be wearing? Can technology and design help athletes win?Dishes of the world: what do your favourite teams like to eat? Do they have a national dish?MusicWhat are the favourite songs of each region/nation that is participating? Is it their national anthems, or are there other songs and chants for which they are famous?What is the history of your chosen team’s national anthem?Are there countries that are famous for different types of instruments or music?MathsIt’s a numbers game: goals scored, shots on target, fouls committed, kilometres covered, passing accuracy, goal difference – the statistical possibilities provided by sport tournaments are endless!A long way from home: how far do teams have to travel from their home nation to get to the competition?What’s the time Mr Wolf? What are the time differences between each participating country and the tournament? What time will people be watching their teams back at home? Who will find it hardest to watch their country play live because of the time difference?Final whistleFor 20 years, I’ve seen first-hand how combining sport and literacy can really help turn a child’s literacy around. Our World Cup literacy activities this summer were our most popular yet, offering a great reminder that students can often overcome learning barriers"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(5) "myths"
        [1]=>
        string(7) "legends"
        [2]=>
        string(7) "history"
        [3]=>
        string(7) "project"
        [4]=>
        string(5) "plans"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(6) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(19) "Arts-Based Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(26) "English Writing and Poetry"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(30) "Gaming and Play-Based Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(7) "Reading"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [5]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(12) "Sport and PE"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(5) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(16) "cross-curriculum"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(8) "Literacy"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "motivation"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(11) "Student-led"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(18) "teaching resources"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Arts-Based Learning

Running with the Ball Improving Literacy through Sport

10 Oct 2018