There a four booklets in this series, and they are suitable for upper primary classes. If you would like copies of these, please contact the Education Service or they can be downloaded (pdf files) and photocopied for use in class.

Teaching Suggestions for Primary Cartoon Booklets

A Day in the Life

This booklet is designed to make pupils think about the topic areas in which the Scottish Parliament has legislative powers. By thinking about what you do in a day, it is possible to think about who makes the decisions around these areas.

This booklet links with the Devolved Matters Street Scene http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/resources/teachingResources/streetScene.htm

A Visit to the Scottish Parliament

This booklet is designed to show the Holyrood building of the Scottish Parliament. It shows some of the architectural features of the building and also the functions of the places within the building. Please note that it does not describe a typical tour or education visit. If you do visit the Parliament you are unlikely to see in the MSP Offices.

The design of the booklet is a scrapbook/report written by a pupil after visiting the Parliament and using information gained from their visit as well as the website and other leaflets. It may be an idea that you could use in class after a visit to the Parliament building.

Your class could put together a guide to the Scottish Parliament, for people who have never visited before, using the information from our website.

Find out more about visiting the Scottish Parliament
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/visitingHolyrood/index.htm

Watch a debate or Question Time on the internet
http://www.holyrood.tv/

Find out more about the Holyrood building
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/index.htm

For photographs of the Holyrood building which you might want to use in displays, see http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/images/latest/index.htm

For more information about the outside of the building, see http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/visitingHolyrood/dspbe/dspbe-00.htm

Organise a class debate - see this section for a lesson plan and materials http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/resources/learningResources/5-14envStudies.htm

Explore the Debating Chamber in more depth with this interactive activity http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/youth/explore/index.htm

See the painting of the Revd Dr Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, the inspiration behind the MSP window shapes. (Please note the Scottish Parliament is not responsible for the content of external websites). http://www.nationalgalleries.org/index.asp?centre=html/2-galleries/2-indGalleryFS.asp?gallery=1-a

The Diary of an M.S.P.

This booklet looks at a working week of an MSP. It covers various aspects of their job.

To find out who your MSPs are, take your postcode and search on the Scottish Parliament website. The list of MSPs names for your constituency and region will also give you a short biography of the MSPS and contact details. You can also watch a video of the MSPs. Many MSPS also have their own website with details of their work - see the biography pages for addresses.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/index.htm

For a full list of Scottish Parliament Committees and their remits, see http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/index.htm

To watch a debate or First Minister's Question Time, see http://www.holyrood.tv/

For information on Cross Party Groups: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/crossPartyGroups/index.htm

Keep a look out in local papers for photographs of MSPs from your area and also any articles about MSPs. This might give you an idea of the sort of work your MSPS do in your area.

A School Council

This booklet looks at a school council and compares it to the workings of the Scottish Parliament to show that there are various levels at which decisions can be made and also that people can participate and input their own views and opinions. It has been designed to be generic so it may not be the exact way your School Council works and you may need to do further comparisons which directly relate to the workings of your school council.

A suggested reading order for the pupils around the table is the three speech bubbles across the top row from left to right, then the three speech bubbles along the bottom row from left to right, finishing with the right hand speech bubble.

For an activity on Petitions see
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/resources/learningResources/5-14envStudies.htm

There is a section on elections in the 5-14 Environmental Studies resources. This will give you some ideas for holding your own elections. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/resources/learningResources/5-14envStudies.htm

For information about the role of the Presiding Officer
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/po/index.htm

For more information on School Councils, see Learning and Teaching Scotland's website. (Please note the Scottish Parliament is not responsible for the content of external websites). http://www.healthpromotingschools.co.uk//practitioners/schoolethos/enablingparticipation.asp

For a fact file on Pupil Councils
http://www.healthpromotingschools.co.uk/youngpeople/factfiles/pupilcouncils.asp

There is a series of Committee worksheets which look at different areas of the school. These could be used as a starting point for discussions in the School Council
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/resources/learningResources/5-14envStudies.htm