Good Practice Conference
Pentland School Coatbridge
“…collating, disseminating and
encouraging the adoption of good
practice…”
Pentland School
• Pentland School is the primary school for pupils
with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties
in North Lanarkshire. It is situated in Coatbridge
and takes 30 pupils. This year they are all boys.
There are 5 classes with 6 pupils in each.
“The best school of its’ kind” HMI March 2009
What is the Storyline
Approach?
This approach was first developed by a group of
staff tutors from Jordanhill College - Steve Bell,
Sallie Harkness and Fred Rendell. It came about
as a result of recommendations that teachers
adopt:. a more integrated approach to the curriculum
. a more child centred approach to learning
. less reliance on the use of inappropriate
textbooks
Features of a Storyline Approach
• The topic line is a logical progression and a
narrative sequence.
• The topic writer sets out key questions within
each episode that all students must address.
• Each key question relates to the particular
episode of the narrative.
• Each episode has infinite potential in terms of
possible development and investigation.
• Each child will reach different levels within each
key question and will return to the Storyline for
the next question.
Storyline of the ‘Zoo’
• Which animals should we have in our Zoo ?
• Which ones should be near each other ?
• Which ones should be far away from each
other?
• Which ones require a different temperature ?
• What kind of shelters/enclosures do we need for
the animals ?
Advantages of this approach
are:• the very positive way in which it depends on and
builds on pupils existing experience and
knowledge
• degree of pupil involvement
• poses problems and asks questions of pupils
rather than giving answers
• pupil and teacher explore ideas together
• it is experiential
• pupils record their ideas, understanding and
responses in visual and written formats creating
powerful classroom displays
Summary of the ‘Joseph’ topic
Week 1 – Whole school lesson. Introduction
. Bibles, Key figures in Judaism, namely Joseph
. Watch the D.V.D. musical of ‘Joseph’
. ‘Think Pair Share’ on story.
Week 2 – 6
Storyline
Joseph’s
Coat.
Key Question
Who gave Joseph
a new coat and
why?
Curricular Area
Art
Making the Coat
Joseph and
His brothers
Who sent Joseph
away from his
family and why ?
R.M.E. and Language
Week 2- 6 Continued
Storyline
Joseph’s
Dream
Key Question
What was Joseph’s
Dream ?
Curricular Area
Music
‘Any dream Will
Do’
Joseph
in jail
Why was Joseph
put in jail?
Drama/Language
‘ Hot Seating ‘
Joseph
What was the dream
Interprets
and what did it mean?
cartoon
the pharaoh’s
dream
Language
Sequencing
strips, creating text
Quiz
Week 7
Assessment
• Presentation of part of the story by each class
i.e. Drama, Language, Art, etc.
• Celebration -
Presentation of Certificates
Religious and Moral Education
Experiences and Outcomes
Beliefs
Early
As I explore
stories,
images, music
and poems, I
am becoming
familiar with
some beliefs
Christian people
have about God
and Jesus.
First
Through exploring
Bible stories, I can
describe some
beliefs Christians
have about God
and Jesus.
Second
Through investigating
and reflecting upon
biblical and other
Christian stories, I
can show my
understanding of
these stories.
Summary of ‘The Ramayana’ topic
Week 1 Whole School Lesson. Introduction
Key Figures namely Rama and Sita
Reading of Story ‘The Ramayana’
Practitioner of Hindu Faith talking about her
Religion
Week 2-6
Storyline
Key Question
Curricular Area
Recall of story What are the good/ Language/R.M.E.
& main
evil qualities of
Watch power
characters
the main characters point/recap
in the story?
Character Analysis
Storyline
Area
5 parts of the
story
Indian Music
Key Question
Curricular
What are the main
events in the story?
Art
Backdrops
What instruments
would be used in
musical
Hindu story telling ?
Music - Indian
instruments
Voice – Indian
music specialist
Scenes from
story
What did each
character do and
Language/
Drama
Storyline
Hindu
Artefacts
Key Question
Curricular Area
How do Hindu
people worship?
R.M.E/Art
Looking at artefacts
and masks of
characters
Week 7
Assessment
Watch an online story of Rama and Sita followed by ‘Think
Pair Share’ on questions.
Presentation by each class on an aspect of the story through
art, drama etc
Celebration and presentation of certificates.
Workshop which could be used in schools
Teaching the Christmas Story Using the Storyline
Approach
Goal :- To make a list of activities and resources
which could be used for teaching the Christmas
Story for each of the following areas:•
•
•
•
Language
Art
Music
Drama