HWDT’s Floating Classroom goes Digital
Over the last few months Pippa, our Education Manager, has been working hard to transform our acclaimed ‘Floating Classroom’ school visits into a series of new and exciting digital lessons.
Aptly named ‘Floating Classroom on a Cloud’, the Trust’s new online sessions feature engaging educational videos that have been made especially for schools. Filmed on board our much loved whale research yacht, Silurian, these sessions enable pupils to experience the floating classroom from their desks.
To complement and support the videos, teachers also receive interactive presentations and cross-curricular activities and worksheets, designed in consultation with teachers to support learning in English, Maths, Science and Social Studies. The digital pack comprises of four double lesson plans and includes all the materials needed. Finishing on a high, this December classes will meet Pippa online for special live finale, during which they can ask all the questions they have about whales and dolphins.
“We are delighted to offer these exciting new learning experiences. It’s great to be able to share with schools the important scientific research and conservation efforts taking place here, in our amazing Scottish waters. Our hope is that these sessions will spark children’s interest and encourage them to become environmental stewards. ”
HWDT are incredibly grateful for the support we have received this year from our funders and for their flexibility and understanding. Filming the new videos was possible thanks to an emergency grant from the National Lottery Heritage Emergency Fund. HWDT is also very grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who support HWDT’s education work via a grant from the Postcode Local Trust, enabling us to design, package and send these lessons to all the schools that we had originally planned to visit in person this year.
As we move closer towards the end of this challenging year we are immensely proud to have made something uniquely special, and we look forward to realising the full impact and legacy of these new sessions as we continue to work with, and reach out to support, new schools.
To register an interest in accessing the Floating Classroom on a Cloud, either for your own children or for your school, please contact Pippa.