What is Digital Literacy?
To be digitally literate is to have the transferable knowledge and applicable skills needed to operate ‘network devices’, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop PCs.
Why teach Digital Literacy?
As a subject, Digital Literacy allows children to use digital technologies to enhance their learning across the curriculum. The teaching of Digital Literacy encompasses the philosophy that creativity and self-direction are needed to imagine, and produce, solutions to the problems of ‘tomorrow’s world’.
Learning Connectors
Digital Literacy lessons allow learners to access innovative and interesting parts of the ‘new’ National Curriculum – such as coding and robotics. Furthermore, the sessions also allow learners to explore their Learning Challenge questions in an imaginative way. The sessions also nurture the development of many of the ‘soft skills’ employers regard as crucial to the future economy, such as: problem solving & debugging, resilience, teamwork, logical thinking, creativity and a knowledge of digital devices and their multimedia applications.
PDF Download: Rudston Digital Literacy Learning Connectors
Digital Literacy @ Rudston E-book
To download an e-book reviewing Digital Literacy provision in 2015/16, please click on the following link (an E-Book reader – e.g. iBooks – is needed to read the e-book: Digital Literacy @ Rudston
Resources
Please find a number of resources for parents in the downloads section at the bottom of this page, including curriculum information and parent application and website guides.
Examples of learners’ ‘digital output’
Scroll down to see examples of children’s work under each Learning Connector.
Pre-Learning
Why do we need to be digitally literate? We asked this question to every child in KS2; this is what they said:
Remember, it’s important to stay safe online. Ask an adult for permission to view websites if you are unsure of their content, and remember, you have to be 13 years old to use Facebook and Instagram etc. http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/
Rudston Computing and Robotics Day 2017
Today, we were joined by six fantastic trainee teachers from Liverpool Hope University to run a robotics and computing carousel. Our Year 6 Computer Advocates also ran their own bases too and did a fantastic job. It was a great success!
Below, you will see just how we use iPads to change the way we learn at Rudston. This section is organised by the Learning Challenge titles of each year group.
What’s your theory?
Padlet
Year Two have been sharing their theories about The Nest via Padlet
How did castles protect people?
Skitch
Skitch is an app that allows learners to annotate pictures. Here, Year Two label parts of a castle:
Would you like to live next door to Mr ing?
Year Two have been studying lighthouses as part of their Learning Challenge.
Tellagami
How is your dinner different from a Stone Age man’s?
Animoto
Year Three investigated what types of food Stone Age men and women ate. They produced a photo slideshow on the tools they would have needed to hunt or gather their meals.
Tellagami
Year Three further investigated what would have ended up on a Stone Age person’s plate. (Figuratively speaking; there were no ceramic plates 3.4 million years ago!)
Green Screen
Some of Year Three share their favourite meals, how are they different from a Stone Age man’s?
Lego Movie Maker
What’s more exciting than a Stone Age hunt? A Year Three stop animation film obviously!
Is a volcano angrier than Miss Trunchbull?
Padlet
How can you share text, images, videos, website links and documents instantly in a visible and easy to access format? Just ask Year 3.
Skitch
Year Three used a photo editing app to annotate pictures of volcanoes – they really know their stuff!
Explain Everything
Taking annotation to the next step, Year Three have been using the ‘live presentation’ app – Explain Everything. Did you learn anything from them?
Book Creator
Year Three have been putting all their newly acquired skills together to create an e-book explaining all about volcanoes. You really need some super-iPad-multitasking-skills for this type of work!
Is your mummy the same as an Egyptian mummy?
As part of their Learning Challenge ‘Is your mummy the same as an Egyptian mummy?’ Year Three have researched Ancient Egyptian gods.
Do you solve problems with your mind or gut instinct?
Popplet
Year Four have been using Popplet to compile their research.
Tellagami
Year Four have research one organ in the digestive system to produce these short informational videos.
Green Screen
Divide and conquer! Year 4 explained one part of the digestive system each in front of our green screen. Put it together and what do you get?
Lego Movie Maker
Year Four have used stop motion animation techniques to follow the transit of food through the alimentary canal.
Where would the White Witch be least powerful?
Skitch
Where would the White Which be sure to come unstuck? In a river of course. Check out Year Four’s annotated images. 
Explain Everything
Where do rivers come from? How are they constructed? Watch Year Four’s presentations to find out.
Book Creator
Year Four have been undertaking a project to present their knowledge of rivers as an e-book. It takes a lot of research, preparation and skill to put a read of this quality together.
What did the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings do for Britain?
Lego Movie Maker
Year Five have been documenting Alfred the Great’s extraordinary life by making a stop motion film.
Will we ever send another human to the moon?
iMovie
This is ground control to Major Peake! Year Five have studied science-fiction action trailers to inspire their creation of a trailer of their own:
They also researched non-fiction documentary trailers to make a factual trailer of their own. Well, when we say factual…
Green Screen
Here are some of the green screen clips that didn’t make the final cut!
Why should the rainforests be important to us all?
Year Five have used a variety of applications to produce a website to share their learning. The websites can be found by clicking on the following link: http://padlet.com/Rudston/y5apps
Some of the work they produced for the websites is shared below:
Popplet
Popplet makes it easy to record and share a great deal of information easily.
Explain Everything
Year Five have been using the Explain Everything app to annotate rainforest pictures to tell us about their layers.
They also used Explain Everything to make informational videos.
Telligami
Animoto
Can you feel the force?
Year Six have also used a variety of applications to produce a website to share their learning. The websites can be found by clicking on the following link: http://padlet.com/Rudston/y6apps
Explain Everything
Year Six introduced themselves to the concept of forces by creating their own force diagrams.
Year Six attempt to explain (and get their own heads around) friction:
Animoto
What’s your favourite book?
Year Two and Year Five used Explain Everything to share their love of their favourite book as part of World Book Day 2016.
The work below gives a snapshot of all the different technologies we use at school.
Digital Photography
Gruffalo and Tiddler classes have been taking photos of areas of school that ‘bring them joy’. Here they are taking the pictures: 
Here are some of the pictures they have taken!
Year One have been inspired by the ‘Inside Out’ film to take pictures of areas of the school that ‘being us joy’. See some of the pictures they took below!
Year Two have also been inspired by the ‘Inside Out’ film to take pictures of areas of the school that ‘being them joy’.
Here are some pictures of them at work!
And here are some of the fruits of their labour! 
Green Screen
Year Two became real film-stars today and shared their feelings in front of a green screen.
Digital Painting
Reception have been drawing digital paintings using the Tux Paint app on our Linux netbooks. 
Year One have been using painting software on netbook computers, using two different operating systems – Windows and Linux. See them in the midst of their creative process, and sample some of their works, below!
Linux
Windows
Children’s work
Year Two have been inspired by Radio Rudston’s Rudston Story to imagine where Galfrid and Chelsey will end up next…
We’ve also used the Sketches app on the iPads this year to produce some fantastic artwork.
Year One sketched aliens as part of their Learning Challenge What do aliens think of life on planet Earth?
Year One researched Australia as part of Culture Week
Year One celebrated Easter by drawing our favourite furry animal…
Year Two researched different types of lighthouses, and their distinguishing markings, as part of their Learning Challenge.
Year Five created their own rainforest hybrids by combining three rainforest animals together, can you guess what their designs incorporate?
Year Four used 2Simple software on desktop computers to create digital worlds to for the location of the stories they were writing in English!
Digital Stories
Year One have been reading, and listening to, digital stories.
Storybird.com
Mibblio
Year Two explored a website called Storybird to use wonderful images to catalyse their creativity! They read stories uploaded by fellow students and even authored their own!
Year Three having been jumping into magical and strange worlds to write their own short stories.
Year Four have been telling tales of adventure, using artists’ pictures to stimulate their imaginations.
Robotics
Reception have been exploring how to program Blue-Bot robots by putting in a code. They’ve also been working out the correct algorithms to control characters on iPad apps – exciting stuff!
Year One have been testing their ability to program robots by using Blue-Bots; will their algorithms be correct?
Year Two have been using a variety of robotics equipment to test their algorithms for real.
The Big Trak robot uses turning minutes to rotate on the spot – we’ve been comparing this to an analogue clock!
Blue-Bots can be coded using their keypad or by linking to an iPad. We’ve been challenging our partners to follow certain routes. 
The Bee-Bot iPad app gives us a ‘sandbox’ to test our algorithms and work out the most efficient way of achieving an objective.
Typing Exercises Year Two have been taking advantage of our newly imaged Linux Netbooks to practice their typing skills – it’s hard work coding if you can’t use a keyboard! 
Coding
Year Two have been writing code scripts to direct a character to their goal! Will their algorithms work first time, or will they need to debug them? 
p.s. press Ctrl and U (Mac: cmd+U) when using an internet browser to see the source code of a website! Or Ctrl + Alt + I for Developer Tools (Mac: cmd+alt+I)
Year Four have been learning the basic of coding by programing the games they have been playing. Clever stuff!
Unplugged Computing
Unplugged computing explores and develops the keys skills that computing activities do – just without the plugs or batteries!
Year One have been investigating what it means to write and follow algorithm. Did you know we even follow an algorithm to plant a seed?
We also use algorithms to code for the movement of characters in video games. 
Immersive Learning Suite
Inspired by the ‘Inside Out’ film, Year One have been discussing when they feel anger, fear, sadness, joy and disgust.
Year One have been discussing mixed emotions – when do you feel excited and scared at the same time? 
Year One have been investigating what the Art of Being Brilliant is really about. Who inspires you to Dream, Believe, Achieve?
Year Two have been playing barrier games – on a grand scale! Can you partner guess what you are looking at by your description?
And, of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to make shadow puppets! 
This half-term, Year Two having been asking themselves ‘What is your Deadly 6?’ Well, Mr Soanes showed Year Two his Deadly Six – and invited them to describe each deadly animal to their partner.
Year Three have been testing their amateur dramatics in the ILS. Can you guess which member of Ancient Egyptian society they are are portraying? Or guess which god their have performed their songs about?
To help answer their Learning Challenge question ‘Were the Romans really rotten?’, Year Four visited the Immersive Learning Suite to act out Emperor Claudius’ invasion of Britain!
Year Six not only wrote stories inspired by Leon and the Place Between, they told them to an audience using the Immersive Learning Suite to jump right into the narrative.
Come Friday afternoon, Radio Rudston is all everyone is talking about at school (or so Mr Soanes thinks)! Through our Digital Literacy curriculum, everyone has a chance to be part of the show.
Listen to the show here: Radio Rudston Website
Year Six have taken the lead on re-launching Radio Rudston this year. They have worked hard to contribute towards the shows’ content. Year Five have also been supporting the Radio Rudston broadcasts – and what a crucial support team they have been.
Jingle Production
Year Five have created jingles for the broadcasts using Garageband on the iPad, not an easy task. Have a look at them in the midst of their creative process! 
And a listen to their work!
Padlet Password
Rudston Story
Radio Rudston
Not to be outdone, Year Six have also produced jungles – they’re catchy!
Padlet Password
Rudston Story
Radio Rudston
Interviews
Year Five have visited every year group in the school to produce interviews for the broadcasts. 
They have asked:
‘What do you love about maths?’
KS1
KS2
‘Which Learning Challenge have you enjoyed this term?’
KS1
KS2
Audio Clips
Year Five have also offered their own opinions on the important matters discussed in the shows.
Respect
Getting On and Falling Out
Responsibility
Year Six have also produced audio clips using Popplet compile ideas, DV Prompter to write an autocue script and Garageband to record them. They even uploaded them to Padlet for Mr Soanes! 
Respect
New Beginnings
London best-bits
Water Efficiency Adverts
Year Six have produced water efficiency adverts as part of a competition run by United Utilities. The winning entry will record their advert professionally and it will be played on the radio! We think our adverts sound quite professional already!
Music Technology
Reception have been developing their fine motor skills and iPad and computer literacy by creating catchy tunes!
To coincide with the production of Radio Rudston, Year One have been experimenting with all things musical – digitally of course!
Year Two have been using MIDI instruments; how many sounds can one instrument make? They’ve also been using the Linux netbooks; what better way to learn how to use an Internet browser than by making music at the same time?
Year Five have experienced using MIDI devices to live the feeling of a popstar on stage! They selected the sounds they wanted the instruments to create and explored how to augment them using both software and the instruments themselves. 
Year Six have been creating electronic music using Dance Ejay – let the beat drop!
Following in Year Five’s footsteps, Year Six have been experimenting with Musical Instrument Digital Interfaces!
Rudston Story
Year Five competed to write the first chapter of the Rudston Story – read live on Radio Rudston! The winners were Natalie and Eve from Swift Class with: Galfrid the Beginner of Everything. It was a hard choice though; there were many close contenders. The Rudston Story is now complete! Years Two – Six all contributed to the writing of the story, both through class collaboration and individual competitions.
Below, you can see Year Two helping Mr Soanes to write the next chapters of the Rudston Story. It looks like Galfrid and Chelsey are going to visit many magical places!
Christmas Story
Year Five had another competition to write a Christmas Story. The winning story was ‘The Girl Who Stole Christmas’ by Richi and Sam. We all enjoyed Year Six reading the story during our special Christmas edition of Radio Rudston.
Leon and the Place Between
Over the past few weeks, all of Rudston’s family have been working hard to transform the school in to a magical place: The Place Between. Below is some of the media created and gathered throughout the project.
Poetry Competition Video
Prezi
Children from Y2 – Y4 completed a Prezi presentation to explain what they think could be found in the Place Between
Here are some pictures, and a video, of our learners presenting! (Or should I say Prezenting?) HOVER OVER THE PICTURES TO REVEAL NAVIGATIONAL ARROWS
Immersive Learning Suite
Every class has had a chance to jump into the Place Between themselves – via our Immersive Learning Suite. Following themes of the book, we’ve explored: circus skills; shadow puppetry; movement to music and looked at strange musical machines, developing our oracy skills and creative expression at the same time.
Green Screen
Using a green screen, we became part of the adventure ourselves!
Scratch Junior
Inspired by the project, two learners in Year Three made their own Leon-inspired game using the Scratch Junior app!
Additional Photography
Check out the Leon and the Place Between webpage for more photographs – including your family portraits: http://www.rudstonprimary.co.uk/curriculum/leon-and-the-place-between/
