A rich task is a purposeful, authentic activity allowing pupils to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned during the topic. They can work individually, in pairs or varied groups to achieve an end goal in a series of lessons. The rich task needs to have a clear audience with an end goal / product / outcome.
Rich tasks are important because they:
- allow pupils to transfer the skills and knowledge they have learned throughout the topic
- allow pupils to work in a range of different groups within the class
- allow pupils to develop their integral skills of – critical thinking and problem solving, planning and organisation, creativity and innovation, personal effectiveness
- offer opportunities for pupils use their skills in a real life context
- allow pupils to solve problems within a task
- allow pupils to work independently of the class teacher
- allow pupils to use thinking skills
- bring a topic of learning to life with a real purpose
Examples of some of our rich task:
- Making recycling bins for the local community
- Building a bridge to fulfil a given criteria
- Designing and creating a class mural
- Building dens for survival
- Making fruit kebabs to sell to other classes
- Writing and producing a book for another year group
Hook days
A hook day is a fun, exciting way to spark pupils interest in their new topic. It is a full day that takes place within the first few days of a topic. The activities give pupils a snapshot / taster of the topic and the things they will learn about.
Examples of some of our hook days:
- Superhero day – dressing up as a superhero
- Knights and princess banquet – learning to walk, sit, greet and eat like a knight or princess
- Racing car day – testing cars on ramps of different materials, scalectrix, car logo quiz, watching formula 1 / red bull racing
- Chocolate – going to the shop to buy chocolate, chocolate tasting, matching bars to wrappers, using wrappers to make pictures
- Fruit – tasting different fruits, making faces with cut up fruit, weighing fruits, finding where fruits come from, matching sugar to the drinks