Support notes for teachers
Key Stage 2: Multimedia Magic
The final page of these notes can be copied and given to students who you think
may need additional support during the session, or to adult helpers.
About this session
This session takes place in the Samsung Digital Discovery Centre. It develops ICT
skills by asking children to collect photos and videos in the gallery and then
creating a multimedia presentation on the computer that is sent back to school by
email. Children work in the same groups of 2-3 throughout the day. The session
takes place in the Ancient India gallery and explores the life of Buddha and the way
that symbols are used in religious art.
Session outline
• The session begins by taking children to the Ancient India gallery (Room 33).
They receive a brief introduction to the day and then break up into groups of 23 to complete an activity trail with a tablet computer and digital camera.
• Children complete five different activities on the trail by taking photos, making
voice recordings and videos. They interview each other about topics inspired
by the artworks and record answers to questions about their favourite
artwork.
• After completing the trail children have a 30 minute lunch break.
• After lunch children proceed to the Samsung Digital Discovery Centre where
they participate in a group discussion and debate.
• Then children are shown how to use the computer software to create a
multimedia presentation with the media they collected in the morning.
• The session concludes by 2-3 groups presenting their finished presentation.
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Key themes of the session are using ICT (tablet computers, digital cameras) to
do research in the gallery; techniques for making good photos, videos with
digital cameras; designing an effective multimedia presentation which makes
good use of images, video, sound; symbols in Ancient Indian art; life of Buddha;
Buddhist beliefs; geography of South and Southeast Asia.
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Key vocabulary
o Tablet computer
o Voice recording
o Symbol
o Buddha
o Buddhism
o Enlightenment
o Stupa
Support notes for teachers
Preparing for your session
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Locate India and Nepal on both ancient and modern maps.
Look for religious statues from Ancient India and Southeast Asia under the
Explore section of the British Museum website at www.britishmuseum.org.
Show them to your students on the interactive whiteboard and discuss them.
Discuss what makes a good presentation with emphasis on selecting media to
support the main theme or idea.
If your school has access to digital cameras, have students practice taking
pictures indoors and compare them.
Introduce basic techniques and composition of digital photography.
Discuss what a symbol is and the way that symbols are used in religious and
secular contexts. If your school has a logo or crest, for example, talk about
what it means.
Following up your session
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Find out if there is a Buddhist centre, temple or monument near your school
and arrange a visit.
Visit the British Museum website www.ancientindia.co.uk and use the section on
The Buddha to review his life story and solve the challenge with symbols.
Visit the WebQuests website and have students complete the challenge on
‘The Radiant Buddha’:
http://nmolp.britishmuseum.org/webquests/launch.php?webquest_id=5&part
ner_id=brim
Galleries with related objects
Room 33: Ancient India, Southeast Asia and China with Buddhist sculptures and
religious objects
Curriculum links
KS2 ICT – make a multimedia presentation
KS2 Religious Education – reflecting on spiritual issues
Support notes for teachers
Key Stage 2: Multimedia magic
Summary sheet
In this session you will learn about:
• how to use a tablet computer to do research in museum galleries
• how to use a digital camera to make photos, voice recordings and
videos
• how symbols are used in Buddhist art and in other contexts
• how Buddha became the founder of Buddhism and some basic
beliefs of Buddhists
• how to use the computer to create a multimedia presentation with
your own pictures, sounds and videos.
Key words
Tablet computer
Digital camera
Voice recording
Symbol
Buddha
Buddhism
Enlightenment
Stupa
Tablet computers and digital cameras
• You will follow an activity trail on a tablet computer to find statues
of Buddha in the Ancient India gallery.
• You will use digital cameras to make photos, voice recordings and
videos in the gallery.
Symbols
• You will find out how different statues of Buddha look and what
kinds of symbols they use.
Buddha and Buddhism in ancient India and southeast Asia
• You will learn about the life of Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
• You will learn about where in Asia different statues of Buddha
come from.
• You will learn about some basic beliefs of Buddhists.