we saw it… we want it improved! anthony barlow, year 3 teacher, geography/ict subject leader, st...
TRANSCRIPT
We saw it… we want it We saw it… we want it improved!improved!
Anthony Barlow, Year 3 teacher, Anthony Barlow, Year 3 teacher, Geography/ICT subject leader, St Peter’s Geography/ICT subject leader, St Peter’s
Smithills Dean C.E Primary School, Bolton. Smithills Dean C.E Primary School, Bolton.
[email protected] [email protected]
GA CONFERENCE 2009 INVESTIGATING GEOGRAPHY
** For a full version of this presentation with all the original images, please email me.
• To tell you about our cross-curricular To tell you about our cross-curricular project using ICT/ Literacy/ music/ project using ICT/ Literacy/ music/ drama to promote Geographical drama to promote Geographical fieldwork.fieldwork.
• Use some Use some practical investigative practical investigative Geography tools.Geography tools.
• How to promote debate and thinking How to promote debate and thinking skills by getting ‘out there’.skills by getting ‘out there’.
• Places to go for support on how to Places to go for support on how to lead on Geographical enquiry more lead on Geographical enquiry more effectively in school. effectively in school.
Aims…
Our project was all about impressions of where we were … what do you think of where you are?
Manchesterppt
Idea for SEN! Use emoticons instead of words. Google Images: Emoticons; cut out and use with a series of photos. Ask children to group them. Can promote the use of environmental index vocabulary.
Go for a walk in your Go for a walk in your mind…mind…
Where am I coming from?
Primary Geography Quality Mark - silver
Removing Barriers to Learning cluster project
Young Geographers – GA/ TDA project
Healthy Schools/ Active mark/ School Travel Plan / Every Child Matters/ SDP
Geography is…according to year 5’s ‘a lesson about countries of the world’
’different places around the world’’a subject about the world’
‘the study of the countries and the continents of the world’‘when you learn about the world’
‘a lesson about the world’‘it’s all about the world and what’s happening in it’
‘it is a subject where you learn about other countries and populations’‘it is a lesson about the environment’
‘about the world, animals, nature, countries, towns and islands’
What shocked me:Where do we fit into all of this?
There’s plenty about them, contrasting places, other environments, but little about us, now, and our future.
It raised for me questions about fieldwork in KS2 – what’s outside our window, down the road and what they pass on the way to school.
Our children were good at seeing the ‘global’ view of the world…
Where does this fit in?
Young Geographers = Living GeographyThe GA use this term for geography coming `alive’ for pupils. > it embraces young people’s geographies> it is current and futures oriented> it is often `local’ but always set in the wider (global) context> it investigates changing environments> it encourages critical understanding of `sustainable development’
The project emphasises four key aspects:> Engaging in practical 'curriculum making'> Capturing the sense of motivating 'living geography'> Learning Outside the Classroom> Education for Sustainable Development
See: www.geography.org.uk/projects/younggeographers/
These are examples from a These are examples from a Reception class group of childrenReception class group of children
We took Reception We took Reception class children out class children out and about, but not and about, but not the older children. the older children.
Why? Why?
Age range: KS2, taught in this instance 32 Year 5 pupils.
Approach: A series of small-group, teacher-led walks with a class
followed by group ‘write-up’ sessions; with parallel, linked
Literacy and ICT units of work.
Concepts: Fieldwork, place and space, ESD.
LESSON 1: Small Groups of 6-10 children. LESSON 1: Small Groups of 6-10 children. Going Outside!Going Outside!LESSON 2: Small Groups of 6-10 children. LESSON 2: Small Groups of 6-10 children. Creating our Map!Creating our Map!LESSON 3: Whole-class Literacy. LESSON 3: Whole-class Literacy. Writing our recount!Writing our recount!LESSON 4: Whole-class ICT. LESSON 4: Whole-class ICT. Creating our Photostory3 Recount!Creating our Photostory3 Recount!LESSON 5: Whole-class. LESSON 5: Whole-class. Sharing our work!Sharing our work!
The project…The project…
What do you now think?
Write down your reactions…
Imagine what a ten year old would think!
Smithills ppt
Staff love the school… love Staff love the school… love the green, leafy the green, leafy
environment… but the environment… but the children thought otherwise!children thought otherwise!
How did they record this?
- Maps
- Photostory
- Literacy
What did we get out of the experience? What did we get out of the experience?
Quality talk about their man made and natural environment…Quality talk about their man made and natural environment…they were brutally honest! they were brutally honest!
The mundane and everydayThe mundane and everyday, i.e. road signage and markings, i.e. road signage and markingsThe practical - Why does the pavement suddenly stop? What is The practical - Why does the pavement suddenly stop? What is this grey box on my street? this grey box on my street? It was the Royal Mail storage box It was the Royal Mail storage box for the postman’s second roundfor the postman’s second roundWhy are there so many different Why are there so many different types of gridtypes of grid? ? We found at We found at least 10 types in one circular walk. Is this because of theft/ least 10 types in one circular walk. Is this because of theft/ replacement over many different periods?replacement over many different periods?Why is Why is the road surfacethe road surface so bad and what’s underneath? so bad and what’s underneath? We We found ourselves sprayed with grit from the road when the found ourselves sprayed with grit from the road when the traffic sped past. The council are seriously thinking about traffic sped past. The council are seriously thinking about removing the tarmac, exposing the original cobbled streets removing the tarmac, exposing the original cobbled streets and claiming these as ‘cost-saving traffic calming measures’. and claiming these as ‘cost-saving traffic calming measures’. What is the What is the raised ‘bobbly’ pavementraised ‘bobbly’ pavement as you cross the road? as you cross the road? For the blind etc. For the blind etc. The The shockingshocking graffiti, litter, multiple dog/horse ‘messes’, dead graffiti, litter, multiple dog/horse ‘messes’, dead birds. birds.
Journey sticks… affective Journey sticks… affective mappingmapping
- Opportunity to retrace a journeyOpportunity to retrace a journey- Promotes discussion about a place promoting enquiry Promotes discussion about a place promoting enquiry
skillsskills- Links to thinking skillsLinks to thinking skills
See:
www.qca.org.uk/geography/innovating/examples/PDF6r.pdf
Primary Geographer, Journey Sticks and Affective Mapping, Spring 2006, Jane Whittle
This is a long ‘map’ of a sequence of photos retelling the journey taken, with impressions and litter, debris etc they picked up from their journey
Making maps of where the children have walked – really fixes in their minds what they have seen. Begins the process of saying this inanimate object = that or this in the real world. Improves development of spatial awareness.
The children were charged with emotion and wanted to do something!
The project spread – we got some great recounts…
Following our work we put on a time-travel performance called : ‘Saving Smithills:2028’
The children wrote the script, changed words to popular songs like the hit from ‘Oliver’:
‘Who will buy…’ became:
‘Who will clean this horrible rubbish/
Such a mess you never did see/
Who will clean it up with a bucket/
And put it in the bin for me… etc!’
Email if you would like the script.
So what were their conclusions?
To the children the audience for the work was clear – those in power - and the children were very eager to share their findings more widely.
It was one of those tasks where the children instantly saw through the ‘barriers’ and began to fire off solutions.
Perhaps alarmingly (to an adult) the most popular solution was installing CCTV to catch wrongdoers and heavily fine/ remove cars from speeding motorists!
Where are we going next?School Travel Plan - traffic, travel, our immediate environment
VLE – exciting school linking using audio/ video
Please join a Geography Champions group… there’s one near you! www.geographychampions.ning.com
Or even better join the BAD Geographers!
Anthony Barlow, Year 3 teacher, Geography/ICT subject leader, St Peter’s Anthony Barlow, Year 3 teacher, Geography/ICT subject leader, St Peter’s Smithills Dean C.E Primary School, Bolton. Smithills Dean C.E Primary School, Bolton. [email protected]@spsd.bolton.sch.uk
Anthony Barlow: [email protected] Barlow: [email protected]
Come and join the
BAD Geographers! (Bolton and Districts)Thursday 21st May 2009
at St Peters Smithills Dean CE Primary School, Limefield Rd, Bolton
Preston Meeting held on …Wednesday 6th May 2009
Other local Geography Champions contact: Theresa Donnelly : [email protected]