Aimed at 8-11 year olds, the Ulster Wean's A-Z of Spaces and Places CD-Rom offers a unique glimpse at Ulster's build and natural heritage, in the form of famous landmarks, buildings and natural features. This resources aims to facilitate teaching of 'The World Around Us', combining aspects of geography, history, science and technology which offer children opportunities to explore, investigate and think about their world, past, present and future.

UICT Tasks:
Full task outlines can be found on CCEA's ICT Accreditation Scheme website

A New Visitor to Your Area
Using ICT (UICT) Levels: 3,4 & 5
Desirable Features: Moving Images, Researching, Desk-Top Publishing
This task is divided into three parts. Teachers can opt to omit Part 2 if desired. In this case the task would cover Moving Images and Researching only.

Part 1 – Researching
Pupils will use the Internet and the Ulster Wean's A-Z of Spaces and Places to research a range of information about their area such as activities, areas of interest and local history etc. they will save appropriate images and create a document illustrating their findings.

Part 2 – Desk-top Publishing
Pupils will create a poster advertising their local area based on their research findings.

Part 3 – Moving Images
Pupils will produce a short film about their area based on their research and the leaflet they have produced. They will plan and shoot their film and then edit it using software such as Windows Movie Maker. Pupils should show awareness of audience.

Teachers or pupils can decide to upload their work to a blogging site such as a Wiki or Interact NI (www.interactni.org), but this is optional. If this option is taken, then the task presents the opportunity to cover ‘Exchange'.

A Special Day in Another Culture
Using ICT (UICT) Levels: 2 & 3
Desirable Features: Moving Images, Researching
This task is divided into two parts. If part one is completed pupils will cover the desirable feature Researching. If part two is completed they will also cover Moving Images.

Part 1 – Researching
Pupils will use the Ulster Wean's A-Z of Spaces and Places CD ROM*, the Internet and any other relevant sources to research different cultural celebrations and traditions.

Part 2 – Moving Images
Using appropriate software such as Photo Story or Movie Maker, pupils will then select appropriate images and record a narration to create a short film about celebrating a special day in someone else's culture.

Teachers or pupils can decide to upload their animation to a blogging site such as a Wiki or Interact NI (www.interactni.org), but this is optional. If this option is taken, then the task presents the opportunity to cover ‘Exchange'.

Animation Nations
Using ICT (UICT) Levels: 3, 4 and 5
Desirable Features: Animation
In this task pupils will explore language, culture and nationality using the Internet and the Nerve Centre Ulster Wean's A-Z of Spaces and Places CD Rom. Pupils can either choose to look at one culture or several to base their animations on. They will use digital stills cameras or webcams to take photographs of the models and set and will then import them and edit the animation in Movie Maker or other appropriate editing software. They should also add a narration or music and/or simple sound effects to their movie. N.B. This task could be done in conjunction with the task “A Special Day in Another Culture”.

Teachers or pupils can decide to upload their animation to a blogging site such as a Wiki or Interact NI (www.interactni.org), but this is optional. If this option is taken, then the task presents the opportunity to cover ‘Exchange'.

Animating The Seasons
Using ICT (UICT) Levels: 3, 4 and 5
Desirable Features: Animation, Working With Sound
Pupils will explore the Spaces section of the Ulster Wean's A-Z of Spaces and Places CD ROM*. This task has two parts. If part one is completed pupils will cover the desirable feature Animation. If part two is completed they will also cover Working with Sound.

Part One
Pupils will plan a story using the theme of the seasons as a starting point. They will then create sets/backdrops and models/characters and use digital stills cameras or a webcam to take photographs to create an animation that will be edited using Windows Movie Maker or other appropriate software. Pupils will finally export their animation as a final movie.

Part Two
Pupils will then plan a soundscape. A soundscape is a combination of sounds that work together to create an impression of an environment. This can be made up of a combination of pre-recorded and/or recorded sounds effects that will be edited and layered together using audio editing software such as Audacity. This soundscape will then be exported and added to their animation as the soundtrack.

Teachers or pupils can decide to upload their animation to a blogging site such as a Wiki or Interact NI (www.interactni.org), but this is optional. If this option is taken, then the task presents the opportunity to cover ‘Exchange'.

That's a Rap – Our Place
Using ICT (UICT) Levels: 3 and 4
Desirable Features: Working With Sound
Pupils will plan, perform and record a rap and rhythmic accompaniments around the theme of “Our Place” . They will then edit, save and export their rap using appropriate music editing software such as Audacity. N.B. this task could be done in conjunction with the task “A New Visitor to Your Area”.

Teachers or pupils can decide to upload their rap to a blogging site such as a Wiki or Interact NI, but this is optional. If this option is taken, then the task presents the opportunity to cover ‘Exchange'.