Making a database of Scottish monarchs
In this lesson, Matt Shanks is using AppleWorks 6 database software to introduce the idea of creating a chronological list of the kings and queens of Scotland to his P6 pupils at Blackridge Primary School. The pupils are already familiar with the basic tools of database software. His aim today is to consolidate their understanding of how to create different field types and how to include a calculation field.
Teacher profile
Mr Shanks has been teaching for nine years and he is currently teaching a P6 class. He uses ICT extensively in his teaching. He recently introduced the use of databases to his class and is very pleased with his pupils’ achievements.
He is also using an email-based project called ePALS. In this project, the pupils email pupils abroad and learn about other countries and cultures. He sees this kind of project as being very useful in developing pupils’ interest in ICT skills.
Matt has recently been on some ICT courses, on data logging, Clicker 4 and PageMaker 3. He has also developed his ICT skills through personal interest and by training himself in his own time. There is an ICT coordinator at the school who is very helpful and supportive.
School profile
Blackridge Primary School is situated in the west end of Blackridge village, east of Edinburgh, and is a modern one-storey building. The school has 163 pupils; 129 are of primary age and the rest are in the nursery. There are eight pupils recorded as having special educational needs and 27 primary pupils have free school lunches. There are no pupils with English as a second language. The average length of service among the teachers is approximately 18 years.
Blackridge Primary has received two awards: Steps to Safety and Investors in People. The school has ten desktop computers – at least one in every classroom – and 15 laptops all connected in a local network. One of the staff teachers acts as the ICT coordinator, but on a part-time basis. Some of the ICT training available includes in-school demonstrations for staff, Phoenix Training, New Opportunities Fund (NOF) training and local education authority courses run as part of West Lothian’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.