NEL Learning Activities Rupert Collins in Partnership with Schools

Click on the title or image to see more information and to start the activity.
  A Question of Religion - Key Stage 2, RE
Start this activity This is an interactive board game that tests your knowledge about Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. Select your chosen faith to start the game. As you move around the board, you need to answer questions correctly in order to collect your artefacts. Be careful, you are playing against the clock! Once you have collected all six artefacts the game is over and you can go and look at them. This activity is supported by the 'Holy Books Challenge' and 'Sacred Sites'.
  Advanced Virtual Keyboard - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Music
Start this activity Try your hand at composition or play along to the drum beats with the Advanced Virtual Keyboard. This activity supports the 'composing and appraising skills' aspect of the Music Programme of Study. The sounds created by the keyboard have been sampled to provide realistic representations of the different instruments.
  Animal Homes - Foundation, Science
Start this activity This is a fun activity to help develop pupils' understanding of habitats. Simple feedback is provided to encourage the pupil to talk about their choices.
  Bangladesh Big Book - Key Stage 2, English, Geography
Start this activity The book can be used to support both the National Literacy Strategy and the Geography Programmes of Study (Contrasting Locality).
  Body Parts - Foundation, Key Stage 1, English, Science
Start this activity This is a simple interactive activity which helps pupils with English as a second language develop their reading and speaking skills.
  Boudicca's Revolt - Key Stage 2, History
Start this activity Travel back in time to Ancient Britain. Find out about the Romans and their battle with Queen Boudicca. The stories are told by four different people - the facts are the same but the stories are not. Can you help unravel the truth about history?
  Brief Encounter with Aston Hall - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, History
Start this activity This activity takes you on an interactive tour around Aston Hall. After you have learned all about its history there is also a quiz to test your knowledge.
  Cells - A Life Processes and Living Things Crossword - Key Stage 3, Science
Start this activity This crossword is a fun way of testing your knowledge about cells and different kinds of organ.
  Changing Matter - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Science
Start this activity The kinetic theory of matter states that matter is made up of small particles which are constantly in motion. The higher the temperature, the faster the particles move. In a solid the particles are close together, moving very little, and attract one another strongly. In a liquid the particles are further apart, moving and, as a result, the attraction between each particle is less. In a gas the particles are very far apart, moving fast and there is no attraction between them. This activity attempts to model this relationship.
  Characters - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Art & design, English
Start this activity Choose the type of clothes, hair and skin colour that you want your character to have. Now type on the notepad a sentence about your character. You can then click on the Print button at the top of the screen and your character and the sentence will be printed. Show it to your teacher and talk about who you have created.
  Check-Out Challenge - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity This set of games allowing pupils to practice and test their mental arithmetic skills by challenging them to work as a cashier in a virtual store and serve as many customers as possible in the allotted time. Pupils have to calculate then make up the correct change, making sure they don't give too little or too much of the store's money away!
  Chemical Equations - Key Stage 4, Science
Start this activity This exercise presents you with a series of chemical equations which need completing.
  Coconut Words - Foundation, Key Stage 1, English
Start this activity This is a short, fun activity where pupils have to read a short sentence and find the missing word. The activity is based on a 'coconut shy'.
  Co-ordinate Game - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity test your knowledge of co-ordinates using a 5x5 grid. When you start a game a point will be circled on the grid. Enter the co-ordinates of this point into the answer box and click the 'Check' button. If your answer is correct another co-ordinate point will be displayed. There are ten questions in each game.
  Co-ordinate Shapes - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity will allow you to develop your understanding of co-ordinates and shapes. There are many situations in which you might need to describe your position and direction of travel.
  Counter Attack - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, English, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity is based on the popular children's game, 'Connect 4' where players have to create a line of four counters (vertical, horizontal or diagonal) on a grid by dropping coloured counters through a frame.
  Counting to Ten - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to count to 10. Drag and drop the cards onto the number line. There are three rounds, each one getting harder!
  Counting Using Money - Key Stage 1, Mathematics
Start this activity This game uses money to help you learn to count up to 10p. Count up the number of 1p coins and then click on the box that shows that amount.
  Crossing the River - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity Your task is to get all the monkeys from one side of the river to the other by using the floating log. There is a problem! The log can only carry one adult monkey or up to two young monkeys at any one time. Can you solve the puzzle and work out the mathematics behind the problem? Click on the monkeys to place them on the log. When you have made your selection, click on the 'Go' button to make the trip across the river.
  Elephant Feet - Key Stage 3, Science
Start this activity What would happen if an elephant were to step on your toes? The answer may surprise you. This activity explores the relationship between pressure and surface area.
  Exploring Perspective - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Art & design, D&T
Start this activity This is a set of interactive scenes where you can play with differing perspectives and see the effects of size and scale. You can also explore how some famous artists have used perspective to give their paintings more realism.
  Finger Spelling - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post 16, Citizenship, PSHE
Start this activity Learn how to use a version of sign language called British two-handed finger spelling alphabet. Enter your name and see what it looks like in Finger Spelling. Make a sentence and print it out. You can see how much you've learned by trying these activities: Know Your Signs and What's This Word?
  Food Stories: Closed version - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Citizenship, D&T, Geography, PSHE, Science
Start this activity Where does food come from? Have you ever wondered, when you sit down to eat a meal, how many different stages your food has gone through before arriving on your plate? Well, now you can find out how one popular foodstuff is made. Have a go and see if you can identify all the stages of manufacture correctly.
  Food Stories: Open-ended version - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Geography, Science
Start this activity Where does food come from? Have you ever wondered, when you sit down to eat a meal, how many different stages your food has gone through before arriving on your plate? Well, now you can find out how one popular foodstuff is made. Have a go and see if you can identify all the stages of manufacture correctly.
  Fractions - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity explains how fractions work, using simple everyday examples. There is a fun interactive quiz to test and reinforce understanding.
  Gestures - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, PSHE
Start this activity This activity shows how a variety of gestures can have different meanings to different people. Look at each picture and then click on the words that match the gesture.
  Guess My Number 1 to 10 - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This is a guessing game where you have to find the number that the computer is thinking of! Type in a number and then click the 'guess' button. You will be told if your choice is too high or too low. Think about a new number and then enter it as before. See how many attempts you make before guessing it correctly. Play again to see if you can beat your previous score!
  Guess My Number 1 to 100 - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This is a guessing game where you have to find the number that the computer is thinking of! Type in a number and then click the 'guess' button. You will be told if your choice is too high or too low. Think about a new number and then enter it as before. See how many attempts you make before guessing it correctly. Play again to see if you can beat your previous score!
  Guess My Number 1 to 20 - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This is a guessing game where you have to find the number that the computer is thinking of! Type in a number and then click the 'guess' button. You will be told if your choice is too high or too low. Think about a new number and then enter it as before. See how many attempts you make before guessing it correctly. Play again to see if you can beat your previous score!
  Hams Hall Pond (Primary) - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Science
Start this activity This activity is based on a real pond in Lea Marston in Warwickshire. You can play a life cycles game, learn about food chains, and read about pond creatures.
  Hams Hall Pond (Secondary) - Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Science
Start this activity This activity centres around Hams Hall Pond in Warwickshire. Start at the Virtual Pond and work through the activities to gain a real insight into freshwater environments. Activities include an interactive life cycles game, a reference library based on the major classification groups and a decision making exercise using identification keys. A web links page, under the name of Pond Ecology, provides the opportunity for further research.
  Holding Hands - Foundation, Key Stage 1, English, PSHE
Start this activity This Road Safety activity is designed to positively reinforce the concept that children need to hold onto something safe when they go out onto the pavement or road and they should not let go until they are in a safe place.
  Holy Books - Key Stage 2, RE
Start this activity This is a series of activities based around the Holy Books taken from Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Each activity tests your knowledge of the scriptures and the signs and symbols of the different faiths. The last activity in the Challenge is a quiz.
  Interactive Multiplier - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity Test your mental multiplication skills with the random question generator. You can choose your start and finish numbers (the multiplier and multiplicand) to match your own level. You can even play against the clock!
  J R R Tolkien - Key Stage 2, English, Geography, History
Start this activity This is a web-based research project investigating J R R Tolkien and his links to Birmingham.
  Magic Pencil - Foundation, English
Start this activity This is a letter recognition and matching activity.
  Make a Monster - Foundation, Art & design
Start this activity A creative activity allowing children to make their own monsters.
  Make a Monster - Key Stage 1, English
Start this activity Think of a story which has a monster or a troll as one of the characters. Turn the sound on! Now make your own monster or troll. Print out your monster and write down what you know about him/her.
  Making Bread - Microbes - Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Science
Start this activity This is a series of investigations and activites developed to help pupils understand about microbes and the parts they play in human health.
  Matching Numbers to 20 - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to count to 20. Drag and drop the number cards onto the grid. There are three rounds, each one harder than the last.
  Matchstick Patterns - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity You can use this activity to create your own series of patterns and work out the relationship between each pattern. You can also use the endless pile of matchsticks to create your own shapes. Try making a hexagon and then adding another hexagon to it. When you have made your shape print the worksheet and copy the pattern onto it.
  Matchstick Sequencing - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity is designed to encourage the exploration of patterns and sequencing, together with investigating the underlying mathematics.
  Material Matters - Key Stage 2, Science
Start this activity This activity is a short tour to look at different materials and their properties. As well as general information about wood, wool, water, metal, pottery, pigments, stone and brick, there are a number of experiments to help you find out more about each material. Look out for the 'questions' button - it will prompt you with random ideas for further research.
  Maths Magic - Foundation, Mathematics
Start this activity Can you find the matching pair? This activity gives children the opportunity to sort and match sets of common objects. Children can work in groups or as individuals.
  Mental Gym - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, English, Mathematics
Start this activity This activity really gives your mental maths and spelling skills a workout! This activity can be used to develop your mental maths and spelling skills. By using distractions in the activities you will have to switch between differing tasks, which challenges and sharpens your mental recall abilities.
  Money Boxes - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity Need practice in multiplying amounts of money? Money Boxes can help you. To play the game you have to answer the multiplication questions as quickly as you can and save as much money as you can. The winner is the one who has saved the most money by the end of the game. You can play the game with a friend or test your wits against the computer!
  My Perfect Place - Key Stage 2, English
Start this activity Read the 'Perfect Place' story and then try one of the exercises. Make sure that you read the instructions for each of the exercises carefully. When you have read the instructions click on the 'Start' button and type in your name or the names of your group then press the 'Enter' button on your keyboard. When you have finished the exercise click on the 'Finish' button and this will print your work. The finished work can be given to your teacher for marking and feedback.
  Noughts and Spellings - Key Stage 1, English
Start this activity This game is based on 'noughts and crosses'. The difference is that to play the game you have to answer 'spelling' questions - make sure your speakers are switched on so you can hear the words being spoken! Once you have entered your name and pressed the enter/return key, click on the 'help' button to find out how to play the game.
  Number Recognition to 10 - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn the words and numbers from 1 to 10. As each word appears you have to match it to the number. The game gets harder as you answer more questions!
  One Less - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to count to 10 and back to 1. As each number appears you have to click on the number card that is one less.
  One More - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to count to 10. As each number card appears you have to click on the card that is one more than that number.
  Orienteering around Aston Park - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, PE
Start this activity This is an exercise that has been developed to introduce you to orienteering.
  Orienteering around Cannon Hill Park - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, PE
Start this activity This is an exercise that has been developed to introduce you to orienteering.
  Out & About - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Com. languages, English, Mathematics
Start this activity Use this activity to find out about the numbers and words all around us. This activity is available in three languages Urdu, Bengali and English.
  Passengers on the Bus - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Mathematics
Start this activity This game helps you count to 10. When the bus arrives, drag and drop the people onto the bus. As each person is placed a counter adds up the number of passengers. Once you have placed all the passengers you can make a paper copy of your work by clicking the 'print' button.
  Physical Processes - Light - Key Stage 2, Science
Start this activity This is a set of activity and evaluation worksheets based on the Science strand: Physical Processes, Light and Sound.
  Place Value (Primary) - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity Start by selecting the type of number you want to be tested on. Do you want it to be integers (whole numbers) or numbers with decimal places? Once you have chosen the type of number, select the range that you want to work with then click the 'Start' button. You are then given a random number that you have make up by clicking on the number columns. These columns represent units, tens, hundreds, thousands depending on your original choice. See how many you can get right!
  Place Value (Secondary) - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity Start by selecting the type of number you want to be tested on. Do you want it to be integers (whole numbers), numbers with one decimal place or even numbers with three decimal places? Then select the range that you want. Then click start.
  Rivers and Bridges - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Geography
Start this activity Learn about your local area's rivers and bridges. Find out how the water cycle works. As well as going on a guided tour of a river system, you can learn about bridge types and their construction. Discover the location of your local bridges and explore further using the web links provided. Test your knowledge of river systems, the water cycle and bridges in the quizzes then try the Timeline Test.
  Road Safety Crossword - Key Stage 2, PSHE
Start this activity To solve the crossword, click on an answer number to see the clue in the notepad. Type in your answer and then click the 'check' button. (The notepad can be moved out of the way by dragging and dropping.) If you are correct the letters will place themselves in the puzzle. If you are wrong you can try the clue again or go to a different answer number. (You can click on any answer number at any time.)
  Road Safety Wordsearch - Key Stage 2, PSHE
Start this activity Test your knowledge about road safety and cycling with this online wordsearch. Find the word and click on the first and last letter and it will be ticked off on the word list.
  Sacred Places - Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, RE
Start this activity This is a tour around some of the significant places of worship. Six of the world's major faiths are included and can be accessed by clicking on the map. Surrounding the map are the symbols representing the six faiths. Clicking on a symbol will open up additional information about that faith.
  Sacred Sites - Key Stage 2, RE
Start this activity Have you ever been to a Synagogue or a Church or a Mosque? Have ever visited a Buddhist Temple, a Gurdwara or a Hindu Temple? If not, then why not take an interactive tour around a place of worship? Sacred Sites allows you to enter a place of worship and find out all about what you are likely to find there. You can choose any place of worship from the six major faiths.
  Safe Places - Foundation, Key Stage 1, English, PSHE
Start this activity Explore the neighbourhood and find out where the safe places are in your area.
  Sarehole Mill - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, D&T, History
Start this activity This activity helps you understand the history and workings of Sarehole Mill in Hall Green, Birmingham. The activity is full of animations showing you how the mill wheel, gears and grinding process works.
  Senet - an ancient Egyptian board game - Key Stage 2, History
Start this activity This is a board game called Senet that used to be played by the Ancient Egyptians. The pages contain the instructions about how to play the game as well as some files that can be printed off to make your very own version.
  Shapes - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity Shapes is an activity which supports the development and understanding of 2D and 3D shapes.
  Sing-a-Plan - Foundation, PSHE
Start this activity A musical planning activity. This activity gives children the opportunity to make and express choices, plans, and decisions. It is a small group activity that can be led by an adult or a child.
  Story Making - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, English
Start this activity Create your own magic castle and fill it with wizards and goblins! Construct a stage filled with Shakespearean characters! Start a mystery story in a scary house! You can set the scene for an exciting adventure at school, choose the characters for a mysterious 'who dunnit', or make up your own really spine-chilling story! Which fantasy world will you create today?
  Story Telling Templates - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, English
Start this activity Have you ever read the story of Cinderella? How about the Firebird or Rumpelstiltskin? What about some of the other traditional tales? This activity is set in a Library and all of the books are named after well known stories. Click onto the title of a book to read the story. We even have a story that you can listen to in Urdu or Gujerati.
  Survival Guide - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Citizenship, Com. languages, English, Other subjects, PSHE
Start this activity This is a simple multi-lingual resource, supported by audio, which helps non-English speaking recent arrivals to gain basic communication skills.
  Teddy's Day Out - Foundation, Key Stage 1, PSHE, RE
Start this activity Join Teddy as he finds out about different faiths. Click on Teddy and choose a faith. Look at the pictures then drag and drop the right pictures for Teddy's faith.
  Telling the time - on the half hour - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to tell the time on the half hour. A question appears asking you the time. Click on the clock face that matches the right time.
  Telling the time - on the hour - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to tell the time. A question appears asking you the time. Click on the clock face that matches the right time.
  Telling the time - quarter past the hour - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to tell the time on the quarter past the hour. A question appears asking you the time. Click on the clock face that matches the right time.
  Telling the time - quarter to the hour - Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to tell the time on the quarter to the hour. A question appears asking you the time. Click on the clock face that matches the right time.
  The Battle of Bosworth - Key Stage 3, History
Start this activity Who won the Battle of Bosworth? Why was it such a significant event in British history? This activity will help you understand the events leading up to the Battle of Bosworth and how the outcomes of the battle changed the face of British history. There is plenty of evidence for you to sift through and investigate. By using your skills as a budding historian you could make up your own interpretation of what actually happened. You can even take part in an interactive reconstruction of the battle where you can be either Richard III or Henry Tudor. Use your tactical understanding of medieval warfare and see if you can change the face of history as well!
  The Egyptians - Key Stage 2, History
Start this activity Travel back in time to Ancient Egypt and the land of the Pharaohs. Explore the tombs of the Pharaohs and learn about the Egyptian gods. Visit the home of the sculptor Thutmose and use your powers of deduction to find out all about the artefacts in his house.
  The School Council - Key Stage 2, PSHE
Start this activity This resource shows you how to go about setting up a School Council for your school. It includes lots of information about how a council works, who is involved and what they have to do. It also includes copies of all the forms that you will need.
  The Tooth Fairy - Key Stage 1, English
Start this activity This is a book all about Jo who loses her tooth while playing football. Once you have read the story see if you can answer the questions.
  The Trainers Challenge - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Mathematics
Start this activity It's a Saturday, it's 9.00am and you've just got up - time to start shopping! You have £50 to spend on some new trainers and you've got just 8 hours in which to sort out the bus timetables, get to town, pay for your bus fares, buy your trainers and get back home.
  The Tudors - Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post 16, History
Start this activity A fascinating collection of sources which can be used in the National Curriculum programme of studies at Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and Post 16.
  Tidy the Classroom - Foundation, Key Stage 1, ICT, PSHE, Science
Start this activity This game will help you with your 'mouse' skills. A practice area helps you with clicking and dragging objects. The main activity is a messy classroom. You have to find and then click on the different objects to put them away, leaving the room nice and tidy.
  Today is... - Foundation, Key Stage 1, English, Geography, Science
Start this activity This activity lets you make a weather record for each day of the week.
  Two Less Than - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to subtract and count in twos. Click on the number card that is two less than the red one. If you need some help, click on the '?' button to reveal a number line.
  Two More Than - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Mathematics
Start this activity This game will help you learn to add and count in twos. Click on the number card that is two more than the red one. If you need some help, click on the '?' button to reveal a number line.
  Understanding Electronic Point of Sale Systems - Key Stage 3, ICT
Start this activity A fun demonstration of an EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) system which shows you how a supermarket's reordering system works.
  Virtual Dice - Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Mathematics
Start this activity This resource contains a set of four 'virtual' dice with six, eight, ten and twelve sides. In additon, each die can be customised to give maximum flexibility.
  Virtual Keyboard - Key Stage 2, Music
Start this activity This activity allows you to explore a variety of sounds using a virtual keyboard. Click on the drop-down list of sounds to select your instrument and then click on the keyboard to create your composition. You can also select some music to play along to by selecting a song title and clicking on the 'Music Score' button. To hear the sounds, make sure that your speakers are connected and switched on!
  Volumes and Capacities - Key Stage 3, Mathematics
Start this activity This is a set of problem solving activities that will test your powers of reasoning, logic and maths. You are presented with two containers of differing capacities and a target volume. The containers can be filled, emptied, or their contents transferred from one to the other to reach the target. There are a number of different ways to meet the target and there is also a minimum number of possible moves. Click on the '?' button in the main menu of the activity for more detailed instructions.
  What shape is the Moon? - Key Stage 2, Science
Start this activity Do you know why the Moon is the shape that it is? Click on the campfire and then move the mouse over the children sitting around it. They all have different ideas about why the Moon is the shape it is. Click on an idea that is close to yours and find out if you were right. If you find you need to carry out an experiment, ask your teacher for the equipment.
  Word Jigsaw - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, English
Start this activity A fun and creative way to reinforce spellings whether taken from the NLS high frequency word bank or by entering your own words. Once you've entered your word, complete the jigsaw to see a picture.
  Young Animals - Foundation, Key Stage 1, Science
Start this activity This activity can be used to explore life processes and living things. Match the animals to their young.
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