This was the second image that I worked on with a programme called Flare for Mac. This was a processed image. Going to try and bring out the trees and rooks that were in the background a little in another version.
Image: Alan Parkinson
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Winter Landscape...
Out early on today to brave the ice and mist to take some photos...
This was the second image that I worked on with a programme called Flare for Mac. This was a processed image. Going to try and bring out the trees and rooks that were in the background a little in another version.
Click for bigger version
Image: Alan Parkinson
This was the second image that I worked on with a programme called Flare for Mac. This was a processed image. Going to try and bring out the trees and rooks that were in the background a little in another version.
Image: Alan Parkinson
Teaching Geography - Spring 2012
You can also now download it from the GA website if you are a subscriber.
The focus for this issue is the London Olympics...
Also good articles by Fred Martin and Ruth Totterdell on the curriculum and what makes a good geography lesson.
Friday, 27 January 2012
Thought for the Day
"the average British citizen is enjoined to spend their hard-earned income in 'ecofriendly' ways, even as they are simultaneously encouraged to holiday abroad, consume ever more imported commodities, and aspire to the lifestyles of the rich-and-famous"
Noel Castree (2009) - from 'Feelbad Britain'
Noel Castree (2009) - from 'Feelbad Britain'
Geography a 'soft' subject....
Make your mind up... a few months back it was one of the more rigorous and valuable ones...
Telegraph article
Thanks to Eylan Ezekiel for tipoff via Twitter
Telegraph article
Thanks to Eylan Ezekiel for tipoff via Twitter
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Better GCSE grades
As some colleagues will know, I have been writing a book for Badger Publishing on raising GCSE grades.
This will contain a series of sections which will support students during the GCSE Geography course and beyond.
I have set up a new blog to support those who purchase the book.
This follows my blog to support my KS3 Toolkit book: "Look at it this Way" - which is still available from the GA Shop....
This will contain a series of sections which will support students during the GCSE Geography course and beyond.
I have set up a new blog to support those who purchase the book.
This follows my blog to support my KS3 Toolkit book: "Look at it this Way" - which is still available from the GA Shop....
Free GIS training at Ordnance Survey HQ
This is an opportunity for secondary school teachers to attend a free GIS training event on 6 February.
The event will be run at Ordnance Survey’s head office and will start at 4pm and run through until approximately 7pm.
The training will use QGIS, which is an open source software package, which is free to download.
If you would like more details, or would like to register to attend the course, please reply to darren.bailey@ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Places are limited, so please reply as soon as possible.
The event will be run at Ordnance Survey’s head office and will start at 4pm and run through until approximately 7pm.
The training will use QGIS, which is an open source software package, which is free to download.
If you would like more details, or would like to register to attend the course, please reply to darren.bailey@ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Places are limited, so please reply as soon as possible.
Centre for Cities report 2012
Plenty in the news today and yesterday about the varying fortunes of UK cities.
Some are doing well - others are struggling.
Which cities are doing well and which aren't ?
Students could be asked to research particular cities after first being asked whether they are going UP or DOWN in terms of their success at generating new employment and providing a good quality of life for their population.
The Centre for Cities report can be downloaded as a PDF and act as a useful basis for some work in this area.
How is your local city doing ? Why not give it a health check ?
Some are doing well - others are struggling.
Which cities are doing well and which aren't ?
Students could be asked to research particular cities after first being asked whether they are going UP or DOWN in terms of their success at generating new employment and providing a good quality of life for their population.
The Centre for Cities report can be downloaded as a PDF and act as a useful basis for some work in this area.
How is your local city doing ? Why not give it a health check ?
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Thought for the Day
"Teachers who go out of their way to collaborate online tend to be creative, motivated people with high standards for their own performance — the type who would rather try something new than pull out the yellowed lesson plans they’ve been using for years."
from Washington Post, via Twitter...
from Washington Post, via Twitter...
Monday, 23 January 2012
Transition projects...
I am starting to think ahead for an event in March in Devon.
I am leading a day on transition between Primary and Secondary schools. I would be really interested in projects that you have heard about or have taken part in to support students when they move from primary (or middle) schools to senior schools - particularly from KS2 to KS3... If these are geographical in nature that would be even better!
What transition projects do you do with feeder primaries ??
To what extent do you know what goes on in geography lessons in your feeder primary schools ?
I have some ideas based around exploration, and the preparation for the change as being a geographical expedition with some preparations... Mission:Explore will be making an appearance of course...
Other schools use the idea of a PASSPORT which students prepare and then take with them when they move. My son found this helpful when he moved to a new school.
Going to be looking at the PRIMARY CHAMPIONS Ning for some ideas and consulting with Primary colleagues, but please add a comment below or get in touch via my profile if you have a really good idea that you want to publicise....
I am leading a day on transition between Primary and Secondary schools. I would be really interested in projects that you have heard about or have taken part in to support students when they move from primary (or middle) schools to senior schools - particularly from KS2 to KS3... If these are geographical in nature that would be even better!
What transition projects do you do with feeder primaries ??
To what extent do you know what goes on in geography lessons in your feeder primary schools ?
I have some ideas based around exploration, and the preparation for the change as being a geographical expedition with some preparations... Mission:Explore will be making an appearance of course...
Other schools use the idea of a PASSPORT which students prepare and then take with them when they move. My son found this helpful when he moved to a new school.
Going to be looking at the PRIMARY CHAMPIONS Ning for some ideas and consulting with Primary colleagues, but please add a comment below or get in touch via my profile if you have a really good idea that you want to publicise....
Smurf Village
A village in Spain was painted blue to act as a location shoot for the new Smurfs Movie
A few weeks ago, the inhabitants of the village voted to keep the village blue. as it had brought over 80 thousand visitors in.
This is an interesting example of rebranding. Also ties in with the issue of attracting tourists. There is a precedent of course in the coloured houses in Tobermory used in the CBBC programme Balamory, although to be fair they were there before the film crews arrived.
Here's an image of some of my son's Smurf collection - he loves them...
Image: Alan Parkinson
Thanks to Judith Roberts for the tip off to this...
Juzcar, inland from Malaga, was transformed six months ago when it was chosen as the set for The Smurfs 3D, becoming the world's first official Smurf Village.
Sony, which made the film, had promised to return the village to its original state, with homes painted in dazzling white, as is typical of southern Spain.
A few weeks ago, the inhabitants of the village voted to keep the village blue. as it had brought over 80 thousand visitors in.
This is an interesting example of rebranding. Also ties in with the issue of attracting tourists. There is a precedent of course in the coloured houses in Tobermory used in the CBBC programme Balamory, although to be fair they were there before the film crews arrived.
Here's an image of some of my son's Smurf collection - he loves them...
Image: Alan Parkinson
Thanks to Judith Roberts for the tip off to this...
UWB Wetlands game similar to Farmville
A find via Twitter.
UWB Wetlands is a game which has a similar feel and style to Farmville, but is aimed at teaching about wetlands conservation.
You will need to 'LIKE' the page on your Facebook page, and you can then start to play the game and build your own ecosystem.
UWB Wetlands is a game which has a similar feel and style to Farmville, but is aimed at teaching about wetlands conservation.
You will need to 'LIKE' the page on your Facebook page, and you can then start to play the game and build your own ecosystem.
iGCSE Geography books
Only 2 copies of the Teachers's Guide for the new iGCSE Geography book that I contributed to available on Amazon. Does that mean it's selling really quickly or they didn't have many in stock ?
Check it out anyway, along with the Student Book - it's really rather good...
Check it out anyway, along with the Student Book - it's really rather good...
On your bike...
A new option for exploring which PUBLIC TRANSPORT route would be best for you, from Google.
Check transport routes and get interesting mapping and data.
Check transport routes and get interesting mapping and data.
Audio description...
I watched some of the Human Planet DVD earlier in the week to prepare some materials on DESERTS, and accidentally put the AUDIO DESCRIPTION on.
I was watching a programme on Deserts, and had forgotten about that until it started to describe the scenes where there is no other soundtrack or voice over describing what was happening....
e.g. a long line of camels walks slowly across a sand dune, led by three men in blue clothing... the camera moves back and upwards to reveal a huge expanse of desert sands...
It occured to me that this might be an appropriate way for students to use a DVD. Rather than relating to the existing script, they need to explain what can be seen - which perhaps is the most useful reason for using a video of course...
I was watching a programme on Deserts, and had forgotten about that until it started to describe the scenes where there is no other soundtrack or voice over describing what was happening....
e.g. a long line of camels walks slowly across a sand dune, led by three men in blue clothing... the camera moves back and upwards to reveal a huge expanse of desert sands...
It occured to me that this might be an appropriate way for students to use a DVD. Rather than relating to the existing script, they need to explain what can be seen - which perhaps is the most useful reason for using a video of course...
Junior Mapmaker Award 2012
The UKHO Junior Mapmaker award is
sponsored by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), in
conjunction with the British Cartographic Society (BCS), to encourage
the creative and graphic representation, by children, of their
environment. The awards are given every two years and comprise a prize
and certificate for the overall winner in each age group.
The theme for the 2012 competition is “My Voyage to Treasure Island”. This could be based on any stretch of water – from a lake to a trip across an imaginary ocean. The map or chart should represent the encounters of that day. It may be hand drawn or computer generated (to a maximum size of A3).
There are 4 age categories (7 to 9; 10 to 11; 12 to 14 and 15 to 16 years – ages at 21 July 2012), with an overall winner chosen from each category:
The closing date for entries is 21 July 2012.
Full details, including the entry form can be found at www.cartography.org.uk by following the ‘Awards’ link.
Thanks to Richard Carpenter for adding details of the competition to the GA NING.
The theme for the 2012 competition is “My Voyage to Treasure Island”. This could be based on any stretch of water – from a lake to a trip across an imaginary ocean. The map or chart should represent the encounters of that day. It may be hand drawn or computer generated (to a maximum size of A3).
There are 4 age categories (7 to 9; 10 to 11; 12 to 14 and 15 to 16 years – ages at 21 July 2012), with an overall winner chosen from each category:
The closing date for entries is 21 July 2012.
Full details, including the entry form can be found at www.cartography.org.uk by following the ‘Awards’ link.
Thanks to Richard Carpenter for adding details of the competition to the GA NING.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Ghost Wood
One of the missions in the pack that I produced for the National Geographic Education materials for the US Geography Awareness Week explores the idea of the suburbs which, so the saying goes, is "where they chop the trees down, then name the streets after them..."
The GHOST WOOD mission is the mission in question. Why not give it a go ?
The GHOST WOOD mission is the mission in question. Why not give it a go ?
Wet the baby's head...
An interesting tale for those looking for useful stories related to flooding.
The town of Gloucester has reported an unexpected consequence of flooding that happened in 2007...
Baby boom 4 years on has created a problem for local primary schools. A useful secondary effect of the floods ?
Would be a good investigation - were the floods really the cause or are there other demographic reasons for the rise in births in the area that is mentioned ? What other theories can students come up with ?
The town of Gloucester has reported an unexpected consequence of flooding that happened in 2007...
Baby boom 4 years on has created a problem for local primary schools. A useful secondary effect of the floods ?
Would be a good investigation - were the floods really the cause or are there other demographic reasons for the rise in births in the area that is mentioned ? What other theories can students come up with ?
Hazard Map
A nice global hazard map.
Interesting to see the reporting of the 'vehicle accident' off the Italian coast...
Interesting to see the reporting of the 'vehicle accident' off the Italian coast...
Saturday, 21 January 2012
iBooks 2 and iBook Author
Some interesting posts over the last few days on the Apple announcement earlier this week. There are various issues with the licensing, and the tie-in with Apple relating to any documents that are created with the iBooks Author app. It's not quite what I anticipated. I've installed the iBooks Author app and will have a play.
Kudos also to Ciaran McCormack who very quickly came up with a useful video guide.
Technology made Easy is currently hosting a very useful 20 minute run through of iBooks 2 and iBooks Author with (appropriately enough) a geography book example !
Well worth watching if you fancy having a go at making your own books available....
Update
If I'd had a fiver to place on someone to have done something with this first it would have been on Noel Jenkins, and sure enough, here's Noel's first thoughts on the use of the tool.
Kudos also to Ciaran McCormack who very quickly came up with a useful video guide.
Technology made Easy is currently hosting a very useful 20 minute run through of iBooks 2 and iBooks Author with (appropriately enough) a geography book example !
Well worth watching if you fancy having a go at making your own books available....
Update
If I'd had a fiver to place on someone to have done something with this first it would have been on Noel Jenkins, and sure enough, here's Noel's first thoughts on the use of the tool.
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