CMIS Evaluation Primary Focus

Ann and Johnny Baker’s Natural Maths Strategies series which were published last year, have recently had some supporting components added.  Each level of Stategic Maths: Number consists of a book and double CD package.  The book includes lesson plans, photocopiable activity sheets, hands-on strategy games, assessment rubrics and resource cards to support its targeted number concepts.  The Teacher Disc includes animated, interactive slides and problems for use with interactive whiteboards, mental routines, games, posters, parent information, print resources and links to supporting pages on the internet.  The interactive activities are replicated on the Student Disc and may be copied on to students’ USB sticks for use at home.  The purchasing school is also licensed to network the discs for access by any teacher/student in the school.  Levels currently available are Beginning, Lower Primary Books 1 and 2, and Middle Primary Book 1.

Students will be motivated by the engaging activities that cater for the different learning styles, and teachers will be confident that they are establishing good understanding and positive attitudes towards Maths through this developmental, strategic approach.  Those teachers, who do not feel confident teaching Maths, will feel supported and enthused.

  Whilst recognising the value of Drama as an art form, Drama Learning Connections in Primary Schools takes an indepth look at the range of approaches to the study of Drama.

It is divided into two major sections:

• Section 1: Drama in Learning Contexts explores how Drama can be integrated in the overall curriculum and individual classroom learning programs.
• Section 2: Drama Building Blocks for Learning focuses on the creative processes of drama – key elements and drama forms.

The text is supported by: Activity boxes which provide descriptions of drama activities with notes; Concept boxes which include guidelines, procedures, diagrams or images to reinforce points in the text; From the classroom boxes which provide brief accounts of  drama use with primary school students; and Story and Script Boxes which contain summaries or partial/full text of a story or script.