Learning about the Crucifixion of Jesus on iPads

With Easter weekend upon us, we’ve released an iPad app to help students age 11-16 learn about the topic in an interactive way. Rather than the usual price of £1.49, the app is FREE for the whole of April. Click here to download now.

Don’t have iPads? Try our free Windows PC/laptop/whiteboard trial here.

Digital Mysteries: Crucifixion of Jesus is a unique app which allows pairs to work simultaneously on one iPad – designed to encourage discussion and collaboration on the question ‘Why is the crucifixion of Jesus significant?’

Users are given digital, illustrated slips of information which look across different Biblical writings concerning the crucifixion. Direct quotes are included within these. They must read them all, organise them into groups and then arrange into a sequence to represent their thought pattern in coming to an answer. To give a full answer, students will have to build their argument using quotes from the Old Testament and New Testament as well as their own ideas.

Following the process of solving the task, an automatic report with screenshots and information of the session can be shared or printed. Students can also go through the Reflection Stage in which they playback the process and reflect on their ideas. This can be done alone, with their group, with their teacher or even as a class. It is an excellent way to help develop higher level thinking skills, while at the same time, learning information crucial to their education and exams.

The mystery comes with 3 difficulty settings. On the easy setting, there are 14 slips, medium, 18 and hard, 20. As the difficulty level increases, the added slips provide more information to help students focus on different elements.

Who is this app for?

This app works well with those aged 11-16. By having three difficulty levels, it supports differentiation in class and can be suited to varying abilities/levels of knowledge. As the difficulty level goes up, more slips are added which bring in more complex discussion points and themes. There is also different hints provided depending on which level you are on to help with grouping or sequencing. Sub questions are suggested too which help teachers streamline the session to what they would like students to focus on.

What is different about Digital Mysteries?

• Truly collaborative: It is unique in that more than one student can interact with it at once 
• Retention: Working with information slips from two different perspectives (grouping, then fitting them into a sequence) ensures students remember more
• Higher-level thinking: The multiple discussion points, combined with the task’s open-ended nature, leads to students developing these skills
• Engagement: Mysteries split bulks of information into short snippets which makes it more digestible, plus working with peers leads to higher engagement levels

What does a mystery consist of?

• Illustrated slips: Including facts on the topic alongside story-based snippets about a particular character and their experiences
• Open question: To maximise the potential of discussion and expression of ideas, the nature of the task is usually open ended
• Extras: Most tasks come with personalised hints for those who need them. E.g. suggestions for grouping or sequencing their slips
• Description: This gives teachers the information they need to plan their session including the curriculum point each task links to, the advised age range and possible learning outcomes

The power of Christmas

There’s been a gradual influx of fairy lights, trees being decorated and Santa’s Grottos popping up. Then of course this week, doors of advent calendars – adorned with the faces of Elsa, Harry or Rudolph – started being opened. It’s a very busy time for schools with rehearsals, fairs and end-of-term activities, but also an exciting one for students.

With the magic of Christmas already in their minds, it can be an ideal time for Religious Education. This way, something that often seems un-exciting to children becomes relevant and relatable. Nativities have been part of schedules for years and years of course, but how often do students sit down and discuss what they understand of the meaning behind it all?

A combination of a good story with a fun time of year can be the perfect way to improve students’ speaking and listening skills and collaboration, at the same time as developing religious vocabulary.

This is when I introduce you to a FREE, unique, problem-solving task called Baboushka. Small groups are given 24 brightly illustrated slips (or less depending on level chosen) to read together. They then arrange their ideas into groups and begin to come up with an answer to ‘Why didn’t Baboushka follow the Kings to Bethlehem?’

While the activity covers many R.E. objectives, such as talking about the Christmas story and the impact it has had on the world, it also points directly to the English curriculum. In addition, the opportunities for discussion are endless. The engagement of the story teamed with its topical nature, means students are developing lots of skills and knowledge without even realising.

You can use this task (for KS1 or 2 depending on level chosen) in one of two ways:

• 28 day free trial of our Windows PC/laptop software Digital Mysteries
• Free PDF of the slips, with a guide on how to use them in class

Just click here to choose which option.