Kiwi kids to get Cricket Smart

These resources have been designed to make the most of New Zealand’s co-hosting of this summer’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The tournament is returning to New Zealand and Australia for the first time in 23 years.

New Zealand Cricket developed Cricket Smart with the aim of raising awareness of the sport in primary and intermediate schools and getting Kiwi children behind New Zealand’s co-hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

Cricket Smart is a series of free learning and teaching resources for primary and intermediate schools. Each resource supports teachers to integrate cricket and ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 into their learning programmes. One important part of the development was that learning opportunities that are ICC Cricket World Cup-based can be adapted for use for any sporting tournament or sports-based activity, and as such, have longevity after the actual event.

Available in term 4, Cricket Smart has been developed by teachers and education experts to align with The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and provide a fun and engaging learning context for students. The resources are based around five themes and include over 40 different learning opportunities. There is a variety of material for year groups – 1-3, 4-6, and 7-8 – involving the eight NZC Learning Areas. This provides teachers with the flexibility to select from a range of cross-curricular, authentic learning opportunities and student-led inquiry to suit different ages, needs, contexts, and interests.

The resources include opportunities for e-learning integration, health and PE elements, and are designed to be integrated within current learning programmes.

Students in one theme are asked to examine the concept of change such as how the game of cricket may evolve in the future as our knowledge, environment, technology, and lifestyles change. In another theme, students can celebrate diversity through exploring different cultures that have adapted cricket to suit their particular context or environment.

Maths is one of the focus learning areas in the ‘Cricket Smart – What an event!’ theme. Students use the statistical inquiry cycle to explore the competing countries involved in the ICC Cricket World Cup and probability skills to explore events in the game of cricket and the likelihood of them occurring. Two themes utilise the new cricket-based School Journal stories ‘Three legends’ (level 3, September 2014) and ‘Match Report’ (level 4, November 2014).

New Zealand Cricket spoke with two teachers involved in the development of Cricket Smart to find out how the resources evolved and how it might be used in classrooms.

Wesley Primary School teacher Phil Margetts says:

“We wanted to make sure that the resources weren’t just a time-filler but an important part of classroom learning. It’s up to the teacher to use as many or as few as they want. They can tailor them to their own classroom because it is the teacher who knows their class best. There are five themes with different tasks for each age group.”

For Sylvia Park School Year 2 teacher Amanda Key, the variation and connection to New Zealand’s strong sporting culture is important.

“It’s a mixture of everything, from the chance to learn about other cultures and countries to getting active in sport. Cricket Smart will teach students key values like sportsmanship, leadership, fair play, being a listener and being part of a team. Some of these values and attributes are best learned through sport.”

It may be the first exposure to cricket for some students, says Amanda.

Back at Wesley Primary School, Phil is certain that Cricket Smart will support teachers and students regardless of the level of their cricket knowledge.

“Cricket Smart is user-friendly – don’t be put off if you don’t know much about cricket. You can take as much or as little of the resources you like and use it in any order that suits your class.”

Cricket Smart resources will be available online from term 4. Each school that registers will also receive an ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 cricket kit. This will give students the ability to play cricket in their own school grounds and practise the skills they have learnt in Cricket Smart.

What is Cricket Smart?

Cricket Smart is a series of flexible and free teacher resources that use cricket (and sport) as a focal point for learning.

Cricket Smart includes five downloadable learning and teaching resources with supporting material.

Resources will be hosted on the Blackcaps website(external link). 

Cricket Smart aligns with The New Zealand Curriculum Learning Areas, Key Competencies and Values.
Themes:

• Cricket Smart: Past, present, and future
• Cricket Smart: Heroes and legends
• Cricket Smart: It’s a global game
• Cricket Smart: What an event!
• Cricket Smart: Hit it for six!

Key dates:
Cricket Smart registration is now open.
10 October: Cricket Smart resources available online.
From mid-October: Cricket Smart kits are distributed to qualifying schools.
Term 4: Cricket Smart is available for use in the classroom.