An idea a day, or...

Categories: s1 and s2, Hydrosphere, Geography General

I'm going to attempt to use either an idea a day or seven ideas in the week that I picked up from the SAGT conference on Saturday. Many thanks in advance to those who I'm about to rip off! So, here goes:-

1) Sound Transit - Via Alan Parkinson (as are the next two ideas). I thought since we have just started this topic, it would be interesting to challenge or reinforce some of the ideas we have about Japan with a short audio tour. Here's what I'd like students to think about- What image does the sound evoke? Where would they place the image (urban/rural)? Would this be something that personally would attract them to Japan, or would it have the opposite effect? I think this is important, as we are currently writing a leaflet geared to tourists. May, no probably will not use all:-

Sound 1

Sound 2

Sound 3

Sound 4

Sound 5

Sound 6

Sound 7

2) Since this is a Japanese Tourist Leaflet, I wondered if anybody would fancy doing theres as a brochure. Big Huge Labs has magazine cover templates that students may have some fun experimenting with.

3) As a starter with Higher, I think I'll use the text message idea. Here's what I'm thinking- Explain the hydrological cycle/drainage basins/water balance in 140 characters. Can it be done? I don't know, but it should make for interesting reading. Could be very useful as a revision technique too. Then, I'm going to have a look at hydrographs, something which, even at Higher, students will not have used, so I'll keep it simple, with a living graph starter, and then some work from the booklet.

4) From Christine Lloyd Staples seminar, I'm using zamzar for a yotubw movie(which I've done before) and taking her 5W's template for about the only useable clip from City of Men for s1- a great intro to favelas with good images of the streets, homes, a vivid exploration of the hierarchies and workings of these settlements. The excerpt is taken from 'The Mail' epsiode if anyone knows it. Technically, this might end up in Tuesday's ideas, depends how much I get through...

Other good things from SAGT- Miss McGill finally got to meet Dr Ian, and I enjoyed both his talk and that of Mark Beaumont, who made an epic journey around the world which was mapped by his former Geography teacher here. Also nice to meet several colleagues again, some well known to me and others for the first time. I'm now off to watch some highlights of a different kind from Saturday :-)