Identify the outcome and tell the examiner how it could be developed
Here are the ones you thought of:
1. People locally have an alternative to plastic they otherwise would not have had.
The bags were issued with 'how to' make your own guide, so people can now make their own bags.
2. Tesco has been made aware of consumer opinions.
They have put reusable cotton bags at a higher profile, end-of-aisle position in the store.
3. We organised litter picks in our group of friends.
We are confident that this could become a regular feature of our activities.
Saturday 9 May 2015
From your dinner discussion 2
The different views that can be held about the project!
Some people might argue that there are limits on individual responsibility. For example, everyone would have to make or buy dozens of cloth bags to reduce plastics finding their way to water courses! This is not realistic. We use plastics all the time.
Therefore, here are the three other opinions you thought about...
1. We should make recycling plastic financially profitable, and not just an ethical choice. The mining of landfills for plastics, for example, to recycle them should be made economically viable. Companies who want to recycle should be supported by subsidies and financial help from governments or NGOs or charities around the world.
2. The petrol and plastics by-product business is a huge global industry, employing millions of people. We should put pressure on companies to encourage their scientists and chemists working in this industry to create more environmentally friendly plastics.
3. People should put pressure on political parties to add green policies into their manifesto. Long-term change can be brought about politically, so the effort should be on political change first. It should be the government's role to support the recycling industry with financial help to create a new recycling industry.
Some people might argue that there are limits on individual responsibility. For example, everyone would have to make or buy dozens of cloth bags to reduce plastics finding their way to water courses! This is not realistic. We use plastics all the time.
Therefore, here are the three other opinions you thought about...
1. We should make recycling plastic financially profitable, and not just an ethical choice. The mining of landfills for plastics, for example, to recycle them should be made economically viable. Companies who want to recycle should be supported by subsidies and financial help from governments or NGOs or charities around the world.
2. The petrol and plastics by-product business is a huge global industry, employing millions of people. We should put pressure on companies to encourage their scientists and chemists working in this industry to create more environmentally friendly plastics.
3. People should put pressure on political parties to add green policies into their manifesto. Long-term change can be brought about politically, so the effort should be on political change first. It should be the government's role to support the recycling industry with financial help to create a new recycling industry.
From your dinner discussion 1
A write up of the things you talked about round the kitchen table.
Ways in which your project has helped your understanding of global citizenship:
1. Citizens can take control of activities beyond simple purchasing power or choosing which shop to use. We can create events and take practical steps to bring about change. We found out how a practical activity which focuses around an object is a useful way to begin a campaign or embody ideas.
In this, the visit to the Disobedient Objects Exhibition at the V&A was helpful.
'From Suffragette teapots to protest robots, this exhibition was the first to examine the powerful role of objects in movements for social change. It demonstrated how political activism drives a wealth of design ingenuity and collective creativity that defy standard definitions of art and design.' (From the V&A site.)
We are now better informed about how to find out about issues, and about techniques of protest.
2. We learned how different organisations are tackling the issue of plastics in water, from interviews with the parks trust and Canals Trust, to finding out about river rinsing with BSAC, and how Tesco (and other major TNCs) have a policy towards reusable bags, cloth bags and product lines which indirectly address the issue of plastics pollution. We found out more about how companies are dependent on each other and are connected. We found out how companies rely on other industries, in this case the plastics industry, for food packaging, and we found out about the levels of responsibility different companies and industries are obliged to have about the environment.
3. We now know that the media can be an ally in an organised activity. The understanding of everyone about an important issue can be improved as a result of using traditional and social media for information. We understand more about how the media can be used by everyone to promote a message.
4. We understand that there are many different viewpoints about our project, and in this way we can see something of the diversity of opinion about our issue. We began the project thinking that no-one could object to it, but in the course of the project we found many different opinions.
Ways in which your project has helped your understanding of global citizenship:
1. Citizens can take control of activities beyond simple purchasing power or choosing which shop to use. We can create events and take practical steps to bring about change. We found out how a practical activity which focuses around an object is a useful way to begin a campaign or embody ideas.
In this, the visit to the Disobedient Objects Exhibition at the V&A was helpful.
'From Suffragette teapots to protest robots, this exhibition was the first to examine the powerful role of objects in movements for social change. It demonstrated how political activism drives a wealth of design ingenuity and collective creativity that defy standard definitions of art and design.' (From the V&A site.)
We are now better informed about how to find out about issues, and about techniques of protest.
2. We learned how different organisations are tackling the issue of plastics in water, from interviews with the parks trust and Canals Trust, to finding out about river rinsing with BSAC, and how Tesco (and other major TNCs) have a policy towards reusable bags, cloth bags and product lines which indirectly address the issue of plastics pollution. We found out more about how companies are dependent on each other and are connected. We found out how companies rely on other industries, in this case the plastics industry, for food packaging, and we found out about the levels of responsibility different companies and industries are obliged to have about the environment.
3. We now know that the media can be an ally in an organised activity. The understanding of everyone about an important issue can be improved as a result of using traditional and social media for information. We understand more about how the media can be used by everyone to promote a message.
4. We understand that there are many different viewpoints about our project, and in this way we can see something of the diversity of opinion about our issue. We began the project thinking that no-one could object to it, but in the course of the project we found many different opinions.
multicultural & integration
Multi-culturalism’ and ‘integration’?
Check the Mark Scheme:
‘A multicultural community is a community made up of people from many different cultural backgrounds who maintain their distinct identities. An integrated community is one in which a dominant culture takes precedence. Multicultural societies encourage differences and integrated societies don’t maintain differences.’
BUT there is no harm in saying that definitions change according to political need.
Read the BBC Magazine site: 'Multiculturalism: What does it mean?' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12381027
Find examples of a multicultural community a) locally and b) in another country.
a) Example of a multicultural community locally: Milton Keynes Council policy on bereavement services is stated as follows:
b) Example of a multicultural society around the world. You could say that a multicultural society is one where different ethnic groups are brought under one legal system working over a defined territory, for example Canada. Multiculturalism was the official policy of the Canadian government in the 1970s and 1980s. Canada created the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 to 'recognize and respect its society included diversity in languages, customs, religions, and so on'.
Find examples of an integrated community a) locally and b) in another country.
First off, this statement from Wiki: 'Social Integration can be seen as a dynamic and principled process where all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social relations. Social integration does not mean forced assimilation.'
a) Example of an integrated community locally - Chickenshed Theatre. We attended drama groups in London and Milton Keynes. The theatre group invites involvement of children, teenagers and adults, of all backgrounds and abilities. It has strong roots in a belief and practice of 'inclusive theatre' – theatre that is open to everyone, regardless of wheelchairs, sticks, variations in skin colours, all shapes and sizes...
b) Example of an integrated community in another country. I'll use here a pan-country example of social networking. Over the internet, members of any discussion group may be unaware of the skin colour / belief system / class background / cultural heritage of the other members in the group. Global communities can be formed where people are interested in the subject under study. Perhaps these can be a new form of socially integrated communities?
(Examples above started from Wiki. Check text books. Check the talk around the dinner table.)
Check the Mark Scheme:
‘A multicultural community is a community made up of people from many different cultural backgrounds who maintain their distinct identities. An integrated community is one in which a dominant culture takes precedence. Multicultural societies encourage differences and integrated societies don’t maintain differences.’
BUT there is no harm in saying that definitions change according to political need.
Read the BBC Magazine site: 'Multiculturalism: What does it mean?' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12381027
Find examples of a multicultural community a) locally and b) in another country.
a) Example of a multicultural community locally: Milton Keynes Council policy on bereavement services is stated as follows:
- To ensure that the needs of the whole community are met –the council will seek to meet the differing requirements for burial within the community.
- The Council will ensure a flexible approach to memorialisation providing a choice of facilities to meet the needs of our multicultural society.
b) Example of a multicultural society around the world. You could say that a multicultural society is one where different ethnic groups are brought under one legal system working over a defined territory, for example Canada. Multiculturalism was the official policy of the Canadian government in the 1970s and 1980s. Canada created the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 to 'recognize and respect its society included diversity in languages, customs, religions, and so on'.
Find examples of an integrated community a) locally and b) in another country.
First off, this statement from Wiki: 'Social Integration can be seen as a dynamic and principled process where all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social relations. Social integration does not mean forced assimilation.'
a) Example of an integrated community locally - Chickenshed Theatre. We attended drama groups in London and Milton Keynes. The theatre group invites involvement of children, teenagers and adults, of all backgrounds and abilities. It has strong roots in a belief and practice of 'inclusive theatre' – theatre that is open to everyone, regardless of wheelchairs, sticks, variations in skin colours, all shapes and sizes...
b) Example of an integrated community in another country. I'll use here a pan-country example of social networking. Over the internet, members of any discussion group may be unaware of the skin colour / belief system / class background / cultural heritage of the other members in the group. Global communities can be formed where people are interested in the subject under study. Perhaps these can be a new form of socially integrated communities?
(Examples above started from Wiki. Check text books. Check the talk around the dinner table.)
Wednesday 29 April 2015
Plastics in water
Please don't forget what you did! It was formidable! Your active local project is part of a global issue!
You undertook as a group, and as individuals, research visits to local lakes, rivers and canals. You assessed the scale of the problem as you could see it.
You conducted lake-side questionnaires for members of the public to see whether other people thought that plastics in water was an issue.
You created a facebook page, worked on logos and other promotional routes such as friendship discussions.
You organised your local communities to create litter pick teams, patrolling by water margins.
You interviewed by questionnaire the Canals Trust environment officer for information on their policies towards creating a plastics-free canal network.
You interviewed, face-to-face, an officer at Milton Keynes Parks Trust, who was responsible for dealing with environmental issues connected with waterways.
You sought out the latest publicly-available research from departments, such as from Exeter and Plymouth Universities. https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/microplastics-in-the-ocean and http://www.adventurescience.org/microplastics.html
You listened to environmental science programs on BBC Radio 4.
You have followed leads given to you by Tutor Dorothy, such as http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32384763
You interviewed the local Tesco store to find out about a source of plastic - they hand out thousands of bags every week just in one store alone.
You decided to use the local Scrapstore facility to buy fabric, from which you made dozens of shopping bags.
You organised with Tesco a day when you could hand out cloth bags for free at the entrance way.
You handed out over 50 bags with tags which conveyed information about your project, with instructions on how to make a simple cloth bag to replace your plastic one!
You created a press release/information sheet about your work to publicise the hazards of plastics in water.
Plastic pollution is a global issue. It is a hazard not only for our marine life but for people. Millions of people around the world do not have access to fresh water. Water reservoirs, even in remote areas such as Yemeni villages, are visibly contaminated with plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic objects, which will never fully degrade. By acting locally, we can all do something about a global problem.
I am hugely proud of you all! It takes team work, organisation, strength of purpose, and the sacrifice of personal egos to pull together and achieve something. I think you did that. You are under the pressures of having to think about how your project can be represented in an exam, and you did all this in under one year. Well done! I know how hard you've all worked.
You undertook as a group, and as individuals, research visits to local lakes, rivers and canals. You assessed the scale of the problem as you could see it.
You conducted lake-side questionnaires for members of the public to see whether other people thought that plastics in water was an issue.
You created a facebook page, worked on logos and other promotional routes such as friendship discussions.
You organised your local communities to create litter pick teams, patrolling by water margins.
You interviewed by questionnaire the Canals Trust environment officer for information on their policies towards creating a plastics-free canal network.
You interviewed, face-to-face, an officer at Milton Keynes Parks Trust, who was responsible for dealing with environmental issues connected with waterways.
You sought out the latest publicly-available research from departments, such as from Exeter and Plymouth Universities. https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/microplastics-in-the-ocean and http://www.adventurescience.org/microplastics.html
You listened to environmental science programs on BBC Radio 4.
You have followed leads given to you by Tutor Dorothy, such as http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32384763
You interviewed the local Tesco store to find out about a source of plastic - they hand out thousands of bags every week just in one store alone.
You decided to use the local Scrapstore facility to buy fabric, from which you made dozens of shopping bags.
You organised with Tesco a day when you could hand out cloth bags for free at the entrance way.
You handed out over 50 bags with tags which conveyed information about your project, with instructions on how to make a simple cloth bag to replace your plastic one!
You created a press release/information sheet about your work to publicise the hazards of plastics in water.
Plastic pollution is a global issue. It is a hazard not only for our marine life but for people. Millions of people around the world do not have access to fresh water. Water reservoirs, even in remote areas such as Yemeni villages, are visibly contaminated with plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic objects, which will never fully degrade. By acting locally, we can all do something about a global problem.
I am hugely proud of you all! It takes team work, organisation, strength of purpose, and the sacrifice of personal egos to pull together and achieve something. I think you did that. You are under the pressures of having to think about how your project can be represented in an exam, and you did all this in under one year. Well done! I know how hard you've all worked.
Global Citizenship cross-over - Global Goals
What 'global goals' should the world have?
(Whose global idea is this anyway?)
Watch people in selected posts explain what they think...
Go to http://globaldimension.org.uk/news/item/16826
Listen for the points that they make. Which points do you agree with? Which points do you disagree with?
Sometimes I find it is difficult to disagree, even though I want to! It may be the speaker makes a point using language that I sympathise with, even though I don't like their conclusion.
It may be because the speaker is held in high social esteem, or is particularly persuasive, and it doesn't seem decent to undermine them. (I'm English, so I should have a complex apology strategy ready.)
It may be because somehow you fear their ideal will be picked up and used by people whose agenda you don't like the look of... but disagreeing is difficult.
For example! I expect others would like to bring shame upon my head for this one ... but I disagree with the goals of Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year old Nobel Laureate Peace Prize winner, shot in the head by the Taliban for wanting an education. (I cannot argue with that, huh?) She said at her award ceremony: "I will continue this fight until I see every child in school".
But the UK is not Pakistan, Nigeria, India, or elsewhere. The UK has long held many philosophies of education, and Malala's goal, if realised, would see our nuanced philosophical traditions wiped out for a simplistic totalitarian solution. Maybe she's confusing the two words that so often are used interchangeably ... school and education. In the UK these different words have helped define very different worlds.
(Whose global idea is this anyway?)
Watch people in selected posts explain what they think...
Go to http://globaldimension.org.uk/news/item/16826
Listen for the points that they make. Which points do you agree with? Which points do you disagree with?
Sometimes I find it is difficult to disagree, even though I want to! It may be the speaker makes a point using language that I sympathise with, even though I don't like their conclusion.
It may be because the speaker is held in high social esteem, or is particularly persuasive, and it doesn't seem decent to undermine them. (I'm English, so I should have a complex apology strategy ready.)
It may be because somehow you fear their ideal will be picked up and used by people whose agenda you don't like the look of... but disagreeing is difficult.
For example! I expect others would like to bring shame upon my head for this one ... but I disagree with the goals of Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year old Nobel Laureate Peace Prize winner, shot in the head by the Taliban for wanting an education. (I cannot argue with that, huh?) She said at her award ceremony: "I will continue this fight until I see every child in school".
But the UK is not Pakistan, Nigeria, India, or elsewhere. The UK has long held many philosophies of education, and Malala's goal, if realised, would see our nuanced philosophical traditions wiped out for a simplistic totalitarian solution. Maybe she's confusing the two words that so often are used interchangeably ... school and education. In the UK these different words have helped define very different worlds.
Thursday 20 February 2014
Thank you, Beeb
The BBC are very handy, are they not? I shall pay my licence fee, gladly.
Although if they don't stop sending their shirty letters to the flat (without a TV) where I maintain my boudoir, I shall bring down a storm of raging crocodiles upon their heads, I shall indeed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z98jmp3
Although if they don't stop sending their shirty letters to the flat (without a TV) where I maintain my boudoir, I shall bring down a storm of raging crocodiles upon their heads, I shall indeed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z98jmp3
Thursday 19 September 2013
September: Rivers
Learn all your river words at the end of the first section in the igcse geography book.
Flip around youtube looking for video support if you wish.
Here's two I found:
1. Case study of the estuary for the River Conway. Listen out for those lovely geography words, like desposition, landscape, velocity, upstream, flow, fluvial.
2. Lower course features of the River Conway. Meander, tidal, wetted perimeter, floodplain, pastoral agriculture.
Podcast on rivers, just about every tick-box geography word in here, so listen hard!
Flip around youtube looking for video support if you wish.
Here's two I found:
1. Case study of the estuary for the River Conway. Listen out for those lovely geography words, like desposition, landscape, velocity, upstream, flow, fluvial.
2. Lower course features of the River Conway. Meander, tidal, wetted perimeter, floodplain, pastoral agriculture.
Podcast on rivers, just about every tick-box geography word in here, so listen hard!
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Monday 6 February 2012
The environment: hazards and opportunities
Look at our Fisherman's Village, located next to the beach, at the foot of a hillside. What could possibly go wrong with that location? Apart from the odd mudslip, landslide, or rockfall? What do they know anyhow?
Think about the range of ideal/foolhardy places you've seen people live.
We could consider it this week, especially as you're visiting an active volcano.
Think about the range of ideal/foolhardy places you've seen people live.
We could consider it this week, especially as you're visiting an active volcano.
Monday 30 January 2012
Let's eat cake
It's the end of another section! We need to complete this properly in the traditional home education style.
Can we invent a weather, climate, and natural vegetation cake?
Can we invent a weather, climate, and natural vegetation cake?
Monday 23 January 2012
Relationship of climate and vegetation
This week, explore the outdoors in detailed ways. Stand at the sea edge to examine the vegetation; as we cross the mountain, look at the grass and shrub types; when we're in town, examine the planting; in the botanic gardens, let's look at the trees.
Go through each of the charts at the Hong Kong Observatory site, looking for temperature range, rainfall patterns, humidity levels, wind speeds, cloud covers and so on.
How do these patterns affect the vegetation you'd expect to find in this particular sub-tropical environment?
Think of your travels in tropical rainforests in Australia; what was similar and what was different?
Go through each of the charts at the Hong Kong Observatory site, looking for temperature range, rainfall patterns, humidity levels, wind speeds, cloud covers and so on.
How do these patterns affect the vegetation you'd expect to find in this particular sub-tropical environment?
Think of your travels in tropical rainforests in Australia; what was similar and what was different?
Monday 16 January 2012
Tropical rainforest & hot dry desert
What would you expect of the climate and vegetation in both a tropical rainforest and a hot dry desert? (Remember your experiences in Australia and Yemen?)
To read general information on tropical rainforests, try Geography Learn on the Internet. For information on the tropical rainforests on Papua New Guinea, and for considerations on the impact of human activity, try Barcelona Field Studies Centre.
For tropical desert, try this.
For Wiki info on the Arabian desert.
Youtube deserts landscape lecture from David Nash at the University of Brighton. It's an hour long, accessible and interesting, so set yourself up with a comfortable, quiet place.
Could you explain and give examples of the way climate and vegetation work together to help build an ecosystem? Can you give me examples of the impact of human intervention?
To read general information on tropical rainforests, try Geography Learn on the Internet. For information on the tropical rainforests on Papua New Guinea, and for considerations on the impact of human activity, try Barcelona Field Studies Centre.
For tropical desert, try this.
For Wiki info on the Arabian desert.
Youtube deserts landscape lecture from David Nash at the University of Brighton. It's an hour long, accessible and interesting, so set yourself up with a comfortable, quiet place.
Could you explain and give examples of the way climate and vegetation work together to help build an ecosystem? Can you give me examples of the impact of human intervention?
Monday 9 January 2012
How do we measure the weather?
'Describe the methods of collecting and measuring meteorological data.'
Well, thanks to the British pastime of weather observation, there are hundreds of websites devoted to the instruments and measurements of weather.
And you can always set up a weather station right outside, collecting data on wind speed, rainfall, humidity and temperature.
Look at Clouds R Us to choose and make instruments. I'll pick out some points from this Wikibooks page. Learn names of clouds gently on youtube.
And keep your eyes on this brilliant weather site please, since it is fantastically informative to all sub-tropical weather watchers. The Hong Kong Observatory.
Well, thanks to the British pastime of weather observation, there are hundreds of websites devoted to the instruments and measurements of weather.
And you can always set up a weather station right outside, collecting data on wind speed, rainfall, humidity and temperature.
Look at Clouds R Us to choose and make instruments. I'll pick out some points from this Wikibooks page. Learn names of clouds gently on youtube.
And keep your eyes on this brilliant weather site please, since it is fantastically informative to all sub-tropical weather watchers. The Hong Kong Observatory.
Monday 2 January 2012
Review week
Look back over the weeks, watch the videos, keep a notebook if that's what you're doing, and generally do some staring at mountains and poking about in sand and soil to give me a reason to go berserk in Starbucks before I post up the next module.
Monday 26 December 2011
What landforms result from weathering and erosion?
What land shapes, or landforms, can you see created as a result of:
a) weathering of rock in situ;
b) rivers, large or small;
c) marine processes.
For a) look at the mountains that surround us.
What is affecting their rate of erosion? In Hong Kong the mountains are mostly made of granite. How different do you expect the landforms to erode from say, limestone?
You might need to think about the mineral composition of the rock, and how that reacts to chemicals in the environment; what the grain size of the rock contributes to its weathering; whether the presence of fault lines or strata affects the rock's weakness.
Also consider the weather. Here it can be hot and humid for much of the year. How would you expect sandstone, for example, to weather in this climate, as opposed to a hot, dry desert, or a cold and wet climate?
For b) think about the action of the many rivers you have seen.
You have paddled in creeks, streams and rivers large and small. You have conducted river surveys, listened to talks about estuaries and walked with rangers describing ox-bow lakes and boggy clay pits.
Draw an imaginary river from youth to old age. Write captions to mark as many different landscape features that a visitor might see. Try to include, in your diagram,
For c) look at where the land meets the water. What's going on?
You might find geospeak useful: wave, corrasion, hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, corrosion.
Remember the many coastlines you have visited. Longshore drift on the east coast of England? Caves, stacks and Chesil beach on the south coast of England? Sand dunes at Worimi conservation land, New South Wales? Reefs and sea cliffs in Hong Kong?
For general research, try wikianswers. Youtube provides background videos. Slideshare may help if you poke about the options.
a) weathering of rock in situ;
b) rivers, large or small;
c) marine processes.
For a) look at the mountains that surround us.
What is affecting their rate of erosion? In Hong Kong the mountains are mostly made of granite. How different do you expect the landforms to erode from say, limestone?
You might need to think about the mineral composition of the rock, and how that reacts to chemicals in the environment; what the grain size of the rock contributes to its weathering; whether the presence of fault lines or strata affects the rock's weakness.
Also consider the weather. Here it can be hot and humid for much of the year. How would you expect sandstone, for example, to weather in this climate, as opposed to a hot, dry desert, or a cold and wet climate?
For b) think about the action of the many rivers you have seen.
You have paddled in creeks, streams and rivers large and small. You have conducted river surveys, listened to talks about estuaries and walked with rangers describing ox-bow lakes and boggy clay pits.
Draw an imaginary river from youth to old age. Write captions to mark as many different landscape features that a visitor might see. Try to include, in your diagram,
For c) look at where the land meets the water. What's going on?
You might find geospeak useful: wave, corrasion, hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, corrosion.
Remember the many coastlines you have visited. Longshore drift on the east coast of England? Caves, stacks and Chesil beach on the south coast of England? Sand dunes at Worimi conservation land, New South Wales? Reefs and sea cliffs in Hong Kong?
For general research, try wikianswers. Youtube provides background videos. Slideshare may help if you poke about the options.
Monday 19 December 2011
Can you tell me about weathering and erosion?
No, not wrinkles, sun damage and sand blasting on mama's face.
Find out about these three other forms of weathering:
1. physical or mechanical
2. chemical
3. biological
Some ideas here. You can click to find plenty of videos about erosion from the choices on the right-hand side.
Then can you tell me how a river erodes, transports, and deposits the material it's carrying?
And the sea. What role does that play in eroding coastlines? We've had a great experience already in finding out. I think fondly of Dunwich. And here:
Think of your many seaside experiences: Chesil beach, Ladram bay, North Norfolk marshland. Where else is in your experience?
Find out about these three other forms of weathering:
1. physical or mechanical
2. chemical
3. biological
Some ideas here. You can click to find plenty of videos about erosion from the choices on the right-hand side.
Then can you tell me how a river erodes, transports, and deposits the material it's carrying?
And the sea. What role does that play in eroding coastlines? We've had a great experience already in finding out. I think fondly of Dunwich. And here:
Think of your many seaside experiences: Chesil beach, Ladram bay, North Norfolk marshland. Where else is in your experience?
Monday 12 December 2011
What are the causes and effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions?
For info, readings, videos and ideas on the causes and effects of earthquakes:
The geography site, explains tectonic earthquake and volcanic earthquake.
Earthquake effects covering 'shaking, landslides, liquefaction, and tsunamis'.
Youtube National Geographic.
For info, readings, videos and ideas on the causes and effects of volcanic eruptions:
Volcano world, showing current volcanic eruptions.
Youtube explanation.
For both:
Global change, with clickable maps to check where both earthquakes and volcanos are happening; the Mercalli intensity earthquake scale; and information on melt points of solid rock material.
Slideshare on living with earthquakes and volcanoes (remove the ad and click the up/down buttons to see the slideshow).
There is an overwhelming ton of stuff on earthquakes and volcanoes on the Internet. Find something you never knew before!
The geography site, explains tectonic earthquake and volcanic earthquake.
Earthquake effects covering 'shaking, landslides, liquefaction, and tsunamis'.
Youtube National Geographic.
For info, readings, videos and ideas on the causes and effects of volcanic eruptions:
Volcano world, showing current volcanic eruptions.
Youtube explanation.
For both:
Global change, with clickable maps to check where both earthquakes and volcanos are happening; the Mercalli intensity earthquake scale; and information on melt points of solid rock material.
Slideshare on living with earthquakes and volcanoes (remove the ad and click the up/down buttons to see the slideshow).
There is an overwhelming ton of stuff on earthquakes and volcanoes on the Internet. Find something you never knew before!
Monday 5 December 2011
Plate tectonics
First step, read Undersea mountains march into the abyss; watch the video, and pick up what information you can about plate tectonics.
Look carefully at the map on this BBC page which shows you the plate margins. This will help answer one of the challenges: to describe the distribution of earthquakes, volcanoes, and fold mountains in relation to plate margins.
Useful site to find locations: Internet geography. Map to see worldwide distribution of plate boundaries, earthquakes and volcanoes here.
Look carefully at the map on this BBC page which shows you the plate margins. This will help answer one of the challenges: to describe the distribution of earthquakes, volcanoes, and fold mountains in relation to plate margins.
Useful site to find locations: Internet geography. Map to see worldwide distribution of plate boundaries, earthquakes and volcanoes here.
Monday 28 November 2011
Environment & urbanisation
How do humans impact the environment? We could start here, with videos on stuff.
Take the footprint quiz. I think we live modestly in HK: no car, vegetarian, mama is cruel on the air con. But we run two fridges, buy milk from Australia, and travel by air to England, burning up the atmosphere as we go. What adjustments do you think we can make?
What can we do as citizens and consumers that put pressure on the manufacturers and producers? Is consumer pressure an effective way to tackle industrial waste problems, pollution, toxic runoff, resource depletion, landscape destruction, habitat loss?
Individual pressure is fine, but change also has to grow from institutions and communities. Not all is doom and gloom. There are projects which seek to create urban spaces that don't trash the environment. Find out about Eco Cities project; Sustainable cities; Transition network.
Let's spend some time this week reviewing the materials and making notes.
Take the footprint quiz. I think we live modestly in HK: no car, vegetarian, mama is cruel on the air con. But we run two fridges, buy milk from Australia, and travel by air to England, burning up the atmosphere as we go. What adjustments do you think we can make?
What can we do as citizens and consumers that put pressure on the manufacturers and producers? Is consumer pressure an effective way to tackle industrial waste problems, pollution, toxic runoff, resource depletion, landscape destruction, habitat loss?
Individual pressure is fine, but change also has to grow from institutions and communities. Not all is doom and gloom. There are projects which seek to create urban spaces that don't trash the environment. Find out about Eco Cities project; Sustainable cities; Transition network.
Let's spend some time this week reviewing the materials and making notes.
Monday 21 November 2011
Be a planner
Okay, you are now in charge of planning an urban area.
Build a city from scratch.
What are you going to put in it? How are you going to avoid problems? Can you ensure that your plan copes with every challenge I'm going to throw at it, with all my questions about public services, transport, housing, employment, infrastructure, environment, building design and culture*?
Plan carefully! Take a moment to consider the favelas, shanty towns, tent cities, and squatter dwellings.
Let's go through this slideshow together about Kibera.
Now, here's the Dateline programme about those ghost towns in China.
City design from the air, here.
*I just want a jolly decent place to live where everyone is nice to each other and there is free ice cream every Wednesday.
Build a city from scratch.
What are you going to put in it? How are you going to avoid problems? Can you ensure that your plan copes with every challenge I'm going to throw at it, with all my questions about public services, transport, housing, employment, infrastructure, environment, building design and culture*?
Plan carefully! Take a moment to consider the favelas, shanty towns, tent cities, and squatter dwellings.
Let's go through this slideshow together about Kibera.
Now, here's the Dateline programme about those ghost towns in China.
City design from the air, here.
*I just want a jolly decent place to live where everyone is nice to each other and there is free ice cream every Wednesday.
Monday 14 November 2011
How is land used? And why?
More about settlement. We'll tour! First, Hong Kong and our own home town. What's the same and different about these places? (There are similarities of land use, honest!)
Then let's think about other locations. At this point, the cities, towns, and rural areas in Brazil.
We'll do a lot of talk this week. Make sure you write ideas down for your notes.
Also, ask the IT Expert about More Economically Developed Countries and Less Economically Developed Countries. He will have a good line on those.
A geographer might describe urban and rural land use in terms of zones. Here are links to follow with breakfast this week (alongside Cake Lady's Danish pastries, mama's fruit salad, and Ritter's helpful contribution to your delicious, reward-in-advance, home-made pain au chocolat): Definitions, Diagrams, More diagrams, Slideshow.
Lots of interesting links too, on this page of OpenGecko.
A student looks at zones between the city centre and rural/urban fringe. You will need to pause the animation to read the screens.
Then let's think about other locations. At this point, the cities, towns, and rural areas in Brazil.
We'll do a lot of talk this week. Make sure you write ideas down for your notes.
Also, ask the IT Expert about More Economically Developed Countries and Less Economically Developed Countries. He will have a good line on those.
A geographer might describe urban and rural land use in terms of zones. Here are links to follow with breakfast this week (alongside Cake Lady's Danish pastries, mama's fruit salad, and Ritter's helpful contribution to your delicious, reward-in-advance, home-made pain au chocolat): Definitions, Diagrams, More diagrams, Slideshow.
Lots of interesting links too, on this page of OpenGecko.
A student looks at zones between the city centre and rural/urban fringe. You will need to pause the animation to read the screens.
Monday 7 November 2011
Settlement: Urban and rural
We're living in quite a good location to compare urban and rural settlements.
All the islands of Hong Kong started off with much the same appearance less than two hundred years ago.
Look at the village we live in, compared to Hong Kong Central; can you think of reasons why one has expanded as it has, but the other location has experienced a much slower rate of development?
Let's talk that over, and make a visit to the Planning and Infrastructure gallery again.
If you'd like a capital cities quiz at this point, try yacapaca.
All the islands of Hong Kong started off with much the same appearance less than two hundred years ago.
Look at the village we live in, compared to Hong Kong Central; can you think of reasons why one has expanded as it has, but the other location has experienced a much slower rate of development?
Let's talk that over, and make a visit to the Planning and Infrastructure gallery again.
If you'd like a capital cities quiz at this point, try yacapaca.
Monday 31 October 2011
Population: collect your waffle basket*
Check you have something in your notes for the areas we've looked at; fill in missing gaps.
Other activities:
Ask questions and carry on reading. There's a ton of material out here thanks to the news that the world population is hitting 7 billion.
Try this migration quiz or this quiz on population distribution. (If your computer does not show either quiz, please tell me; we can find a computer that works for you.)
Here's a useful guide - Population Change Review - which quickly packs some of the ideas about population that we've talked about into a slideshow. You can control what you want to look at. Choose any one screen and we can talk some more.
Let's make a date for the waffles.
*Terms and conditions apply. Thanks, Shark!
Other activities:
Ask questions and carry on reading. There's a ton of material out here thanks to the news that the world population is hitting 7 billion.
Try this migration quiz or this quiz on population distribution. (If your computer does not show either quiz, please tell me; we can find a computer that works for you.)
Here's a useful guide - Population Change Review - which quickly packs some of the ideas about population that we've talked about into a slideshow. You can control what you want to look at. Choose any one screen and we can talk some more.
Let's make a date for the waffles.
*Terms and conditions apply. Thanks, Shark!
Monday 24 October 2011
Population: what affects who lives where?
Quick video on population density here!
Look about the town where we live. Where is most densely populated? Where are the areas where fewer people live? What's the difference between these places?
Read this page. Read, in particular the section Factors affecting population density. The table breaks down these factors into physical and human.
Draw a map to show all the factors you can identify from this extract, plus anything else you can think of that might affect where people move and live.
Add captions as you go. For example, you might draw a city and label the city with information, such as 'high density population results from stable government, trade, jobs, health services, good transport'. A desert area on your map might be labelled 'extremes of physical landscape or extremes of temperature result in low density population'. Yes, they would look pretty good!
Try this game. I have no idea what it's like!
Visit this article. Let's talk about the population age/sex pyramid in the UK and the costs/benefits of migrancy.
Look about the town where we live. Where is most densely populated? Where are the areas where fewer people live? What's the difference between these places?
Read this page. Read, in particular the section Factors affecting population density. The table breaks down these factors into physical and human.
Draw a map to show all the factors you can identify from this extract, plus anything else you can think of that might affect where people move and live.
Add captions as you go. For example, you might draw a city and label the city with information, such as 'high density population results from stable government, trade, jobs, health services, good transport'. A desert area on your map might be labelled 'extremes of physical landscape or extremes of temperature result in low density population'. Yes, they would look pretty good!
Try this game. I have no idea what it's like!
Visit this article. Let's talk about the population age/sex pyramid in the UK and the costs/benefits of migrancy.
Thursday 20 October 2011
Population: what's an age/sex pyramid?
Easy. A graph that looks like a pyramid. Or sometimes not.
Watch this video.
It shows you about population pyramids for an MEDC and an LEDC.
An MEDC is a More Economically Developed Country and an LEDC is a Less Economically Developed Country.
This second video has a useful still of three 'pyramid' shapes side by side.
You could draw out an age/sex pyrmaid for many circumstances. Have a go at drawing out such a pyramid to represent the local home ed group, or better still, your clan of unicorns.
Watch this video.
It shows you about population pyramids for an MEDC and an LEDC.
An MEDC is a More Economically Developed Country and an LEDC is a Less Economically Developed Country.
This second video has a useful still of three 'pyramid' shapes side by side.
You could draw out an age/sex pyrmaid for many circumstances. Have a go at drawing out such a pyramid to represent the local home ed group, or better still, your clan of unicorns.
Friday 14 October 2011
Population: can you describe the consequences of different patterns of population growth?
Walk about town. Do you see lots of children? Young women? Young men? Lots of middle-aged people? Elderly people? Who are the construction workers? Who are the nannies and childminders? Who seems to be wearing suits?
This week I'll read extracts from a government report about Hong Kong's populations. Where are you going? Come back! It's interesting! Honestly! And I have chocolate!
What would happen in the town where you live if there was a great growth of any one of those groups of people you saw? Or a great decline? What would happen if all the Filipinas left town?!
Make sure you get hold of daddy at some point and ask him about Demographic patterns. He's good at that stuff and can do the maths.
This week I'll read extracts from a government report about Hong Kong's populations. Where are you going? Come back! It's interesting! Honestly! And I have chocolate!
What would happen in the town where you live if there was a great growth of any one of those groups of people you saw? Or a great decline? What would happen if all the Filipinas left town?!
Make sure you get hold of daddy at some point and ask him about Demographic patterns. He's good at that stuff and can do the maths.
Monday 3 October 2011
Population: Case study Hong Kong
Visit the Sha Tin Museum for the New Territories gallery.
Pay attention particularly to the last section about the development of the new towns. Make sure you play the game about building a city from scratch.
Take note as you visit any museum if they have references to population growth and migration.
There is an imaginary city game here. (It's a little less practical than having to consider what medical infrastructure you will need for the elderly.)
Pay attention particularly to the last section about the development of the new towns. Make sure you play the game about building a city from scratch.
Take note as you visit any museum if they have references to population growth and migration.
There is an imaginary city game here. (It's a little less practical than having to consider what medical infrastructure you will need for the elderly.)
Monday 19 September 2011
Population: what are the causes and consequences of under population and over population?
This question has two main parts.
First let's define overpopulation and underpopulation. Then ask yourself, what causes each of these states? And what is the result?
Create a table or a spider to organise all your ideas.
Go to YouTube and explore population videos. Not all the videos agree that there is a world problem at all.
See how many different points of view, and different arguments you can find. For example, the Population 101 series starts from a different point of view to the one we normally see.
This document might also be helpful, remind me about the activities at the end to try.
Insight Zambia, BBC news video here.
You can see that population isn't just about graphs. It's politics, ecology, your rights, your responsibilities, the lives and decisions of other people and the flows and changes of social groups. Not much then, eh? Try an article by Jonathon Porritt.
What would you say in argument to a person who asserts that 'to have more than two children is irresponsible'?
First let's define overpopulation and underpopulation. Then ask yourself, what causes each of these states? And what is the result?
Create a table or a spider to organise all your ideas.
Go to YouTube and explore population videos. Not all the videos agree that there is a world problem at all.
See how many different points of view, and different arguments you can find. For example, the Population 101 series starts from a different point of view to the one we normally see.
This document might also be helpful, remind me about the activities at the end to try.
Insight Zambia, BBC news video here.
You can see that population isn't just about graphs. It's politics, ecology, your rights, your responsibilities, the lives and decisions of other people and the flows and changes of social groups. Not much then, eh? Try an article by Jonathon Porritt.
What would you say in argument to a person who asserts that 'to have more than two children is irresponsible'?
Thursday 15 September 2011
Population: what are problems of population growth?
Walk through the area of town where lots of people live. What can you see? Walk through an area of town where few people live. What do you notice?
Find out what you can about Thomas Malthus. What do you read about him?
Watch some videos on YouTube explaining Malthus' ideas.
What problems can you think might occur, either when population growth is very rapid, or very slow?
Now imagine yourself 30 years into the future. You'll be aged over 40. Babies born in 2011 are now 30 years old. Are there enough jobs for you all? Who's supporting the elderly people (like me! I'll be 80!)? Are there enough babies being born to replace the oldies of us who are dying off? Does it matter?
Why might people need to project all these ideas anyway?
Find out what you can about Thomas Malthus. What do you read about him?
Watch some videos on YouTube explaining Malthus' ideas.
What problems can you think might occur, either when population growth is very rapid, or very slow?
Now imagine yourself 30 years into the future. You'll be aged over 40. Babies born in 2011 are now 30 years old. Are there enough jobs for you all? Who's supporting the elderly people (like me! I'll be 80!)? Are there enough babies being born to replace the oldies of us who are dying off? Does it matter?
Why might people need to project all these ideas anyway?
Tuesday 6 September 2011
Population. What is it?
What do you understand by the word population?
Go for a walk in three different environments:
-across the fields or to the beach
-in a minor street or alley
-along a major high street route
As you walk, look at the different people you see; think about their homes, lifestyles and jobs. Where might they live? You could speculate whether they have a large family or a small one.
Write out as many interpretations of this word as you can think of. Can you find examples, figures, and references to support your ideas?
Other places to start beside your home town? Travel to Wiki or Simple Wiki.
The world population stands at 7 billion. (This must be estimated, right? Who counted? How did they do that?) Watch the BBC version of this moment here.
Go for a walk in three different environments:
-across the fields or to the beach
-in a minor street or alley
-along a major high street route
As you walk, look at the different people you see; think about their homes, lifestyles and jobs. Where might they live? You could speculate whether they have a large family or a small one.
Write out as many interpretations of this word as you can think of. Can you find examples, figures, and references to support your ideas?
Other places to start beside your home town? Travel to Wiki or Simple Wiki.
The world population stands at 7 billion. (This must be estimated, right? Who counted? How did they do that?) Watch the BBC version of this moment here.
Thursday 1 September 2011
IGCSE Geography (0460) Past Paper Questions 2010
IGCSE Geography (0460) Past Paper Questions 2010
Theme 1
For an example of international migration which you have studied, explain why many people made the decision to migrate. You should name the countries between which people migrated and refer both to pull and to push factors.
Many settlements have grown into large urban areas. For a named example of a large urban area which you have studied, explain the reasons for its growth.
Name an example of a city or country to which large numbers of people have migrated from other countries. Describe the effects of international migration on your chosen city or country.
Many towns and cities are growing rapidly. With reference to a named urban area which you have studied, describe the problems in its rural-urban fringe which are being caused by its growth.
For a country which you have studied, explain why the rate of natural population growth is low.
In all towns and cities there have been changes in land use in recent years. These include the development of transport, areas of housing, industries, leisure and shopping facilities. Briefly describe one recent change in land use in or close to a town or city which you have studied. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this change in land use for the people who live in the town or city.
The size and structure of the population in a country may change as a result of government policies. For a named country which you have studied, describe the policies which have been used by the government to influence rates of natural population growth.
For a named urban area which you have studied, describe the main features of its Central Business District (CBD).
Theme 2
Explain how one of the following has formed in a named area which you have studied: a spit; an area of coastal sand dunes. You should use labelled diagrams in your answer.
Describe the advantages and difficulties for people of living on a river delta. You should refer to a delta which you have studied.
Explain the causes of an earthquake which occurred in a named area which you have studied.
For a named tropical desert, explain how and why the natural environment is threatened by human activities.
Explain how and why a delta is formed. You should refer to an example you have studied and include labelled diagrams.
In many parts of the world the natural environment presents hazards to people. Choose an example of one of the following: a flood, a tropical storm, a drought. For a named area, describe the causes of the hazard which you have chosen.
Choose a named example of one of the following: an area of mountains, a fast-flowing river, a flood plain. Describe the ways in which your chosen type of natural environment can provide opportunities for the people who live there.
Theme 3
All farming systems have inputs, processes and outputs. Name an area where small-scale subsistence farming takes place. Describe the inputs,processes and outputs of this farming system.
Identify a form of energy and describe how its use threatens the natural environment in a named country or area which you have studied.
All farming systems have inputs, processes and outputs.Name an area where large-scale commercial farming takes place. Describe the inputs,processes and outputs of this farming system.
For a named area of tropical desert you have studied, explain why and how it is at risk from human activities.
Name an example of an area where manufacturing or processing industry has been located and explain the factors which have attracted this type of industry to the area.
For a named area which you have studied, explain why the tourist industry has developed there. You should refer to the area·s natural and built attractions.
Name an area where either manufacturing or processing industry is important and give an example of a type of industry (or factory) which you have studied in that area. Explain the reasons for its growth at that location.
Many areas have a shortage of water supplies. Describe the likely impacts of a water shortage on the people and development of a named area which you have studied.
Theme 1
For an example of international migration which you have studied, explain why many people made the decision to migrate. You should name the countries between which people migrated and refer both to pull and to push factors.
Many settlements have grown into large urban areas. For a named example of a large urban area which you have studied, explain the reasons for its growth.
Name an example of a city or country to which large numbers of people have migrated from other countries. Describe the effects of international migration on your chosen city or country.
Many towns and cities are growing rapidly. With reference to a named urban area which you have studied, describe the problems in its rural-urban fringe which are being caused by its growth.
For a country which you have studied, explain why the rate of natural population growth is low.
In all towns and cities there have been changes in land use in recent years. These include the development of transport, areas of housing, industries, leisure and shopping facilities. Briefly describe one recent change in land use in or close to a town or city which you have studied. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this change in land use for the people who live in the town or city.
The size and structure of the population in a country may change as a result of government policies. For a named country which you have studied, describe the policies which have been used by the government to influence rates of natural population growth.
For a named urban area which you have studied, describe the main features of its Central Business District (CBD).
Theme 2
Explain how one of the following has formed in a named area which you have studied: a spit; an area of coastal sand dunes. You should use labelled diagrams in your answer.
Describe the advantages and difficulties for people of living on a river delta. You should refer to a delta which you have studied.
Explain the causes of an earthquake which occurred in a named area which you have studied.
For a named tropical desert, explain how and why the natural environment is threatened by human activities.
Explain how and why a delta is formed. You should refer to an example you have studied and include labelled diagrams.
In many parts of the world the natural environment presents hazards to people. Choose an example of one of the following: a flood, a tropical storm, a drought. For a named area, describe the causes of the hazard which you have chosen.
Choose a named example of one of the following: an area of mountains, a fast-flowing river, a flood plain. Describe the ways in which your chosen type of natural environment can provide opportunities for the people who live there.
Theme 3
All farming systems have inputs, processes and outputs. Name an area where small-scale subsistence farming takes place. Describe the inputs,processes and outputs of this farming system.
Identify a form of energy and describe how its use threatens the natural environment in a named country or area which you have studied.
All farming systems have inputs, processes and outputs.Name an area where large-scale commercial farming takes place. Describe the inputs,processes and outputs of this farming system.
For a named area of tropical desert you have studied, explain why and how it is at risk from human activities.
Name an example of an area where manufacturing or processing industry has been located and explain the factors which have attracted this type of industry to the area.
For a named area which you have studied, explain why the tourist industry has developed there. You should refer to the area·s natural and built attractions.
Name an area where either manufacturing or processing industry is important and give an example of a type of industry (or factory) which you have studied in that area. Explain the reasons for its growth at that location.
Many areas have a shortage of water supplies. Describe the likely impacts of a water shortage on the people and development of a named area which you have studied.
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