Year 3
	Combining text and graphics		Manipulating sound
	Introduction to databases		Exploring simulations
	E-mail

In this unit pupils learn to use e-mail (electronic mail) to send and receive messages. They learn about communicating over distances and will need to consider and compare different methods of communication. Using e-mail can help them develop their reading and writing skills and develop their knowledge of the wider community. The unit requires collaboration with other schools. Pupils will apply what they have learnt in this unit when using e-mail, gathering information, developing collaborative projects, and writing for other audiences.

3e Lite (ICT Lites are concise sheets showing the objectives, key skills and techniques to be taught, without the suggested teaching activities.)

Assessment: Pupil Self Review Statements

Teaching Activities l Resources

Teaching Activities

Email Detectives (From Sherston software company)
Support sheets to go with the software
www.learn-ict.org.uk

E-mail can provide an excellent source of information from other localities. Schools can become involved in e-mail exchange projects with other schools in the UK or across the world. If images and sound are captured digitally (for example using a digital video camera) then this type of information can be attached to e-mails and shared with others.

Use our forum to contact schools in another part of Kent to email.

Exchanging information with a partner school
You will need to establish a partner for this work, perhaps a class in another school in the area or abroad. Remind the children about your Internet Acceptable Use Policy and the importance of safe and discriminating online behaviours, e.g. never give out your home address, never respond to nasty or suggestive messages and always report these to your teacher. Tell the class they are going to produce a guide to their locality.

Children could word process the text, scan in hand-drawn maps and import digital camera images. Remind them to make choices about layout and font in relation to their target audience. Send the guide as an e-mail attachment to the partner school.

Create a questionnaire about the locality of the partner school. This could be a whole-class activity. Discuss with the children where this place is in relation to where they live, whether anyone has travelled to the place and, if so, how they travelled. Ask the children to locate the place on a globe or map or in an atlas. Send the questionnaire as an e-mail attachment.

Ensure that the partner school knows when to expect the work, and when a reply with answers is expected.

Use the information provided in the questionnaire responses to explore similarities and differences between the localities.

Learning Outcome

• create and respond to e-mails and attachments in order to gather information and communicate with others
• show sensitivity to the needs of the audience

E-Mailing in the classroom - A Kent Teacher Project
"Our first ventures into using e-mail included exchanging messages with a class from a local primary school. This provided a good introduction, showing the children how quickly messages could travel."

Tips for using e-mail with the class (part of the project above)

Suggested Cross Curricular Activities

Connecting with the World (Geography)

Contrasting Localities (Geography)

Email projects could include

• sharing book reviews
• sharing pictures draw of the view from the classroom window
• creating a questionnaire about the locality of the partner school.

Teaching Resources

Websites connecting schools
BBC World Class	www.globalgateway.org	www.epals.com

ICT Scheme of work from Greenwich
A complete set of resources linked to the QCA scheme of work with lesson plans, activities, downloadable resources and more.
lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/greenwich

Newham ICT Scheme of Work
Featuring active flip chart resources and tutorial videos. Importantly every unit contains a challenge lesson which gives the children an opportunity to develop their independent ICT capability. www.itass.newham.gov.uk/curriculum/sow.aspx

Year 3
	Combining text and graphics		Manipulating sound
	Introduction to databases		Exploring simulations
	E-mail

Back to QCA ICT index page