Prep in week 2 will be to fill in this Google Form... You can start now if you like ...
Enter your answers then click submit
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Year 7: Planning a trick for Danny
Watch a few YouTube clips of Danny MacAskill if you want, to get a flavour for the tricks that he does.
This was the one we watched...
Remember that he sees the world differently, and takes risks.... he is an explorer and also needs specialist equipment to do his job.... like a Geographer...
Plan 3 tricks for Danny on the KEJ site for prep.
You can use a hand-drawn map - remember to identify any symbols you use, such as a dashed line for a cycling section, an up arrow for jumps etc.
You could also use annotated photographs taken on an iPad or phone before school starts.
Or use Digimap for Schools to create your own base map of the school site.
Click here to go to the site.
We have a school subscription to this site. The user name and password are on the Firefly Geography area which you have access to.
It creates a close-up map of the school site for you to draw on. Here's the area that's just outside N2 for example that we went out and had a look at...
This was the one we watched...
Remember that he sees the world differently, and takes risks.... he is an explorer and also needs specialist equipment to do his job.... like a Geographer...
Plan 3 tricks for Danny on the KEJ site for prep.
You can use a hand-drawn map - remember to identify any symbols you use, such as a dashed line for a cycling section, an up arrow for jumps etc.
You could also use annotated photographs taken on an iPad or phone before school starts.
Or use Digimap for Schools to create your own base map of the school site.
Click here to go to the site.
We have a school subscription to this site. The user name and password are on the Firefly Geography area which you have access to.
It creates a close-up map of the school site for you to draw on. Here's the area that's just outside N2 for example that we went out and had a look at...
Monday, 1 September 2014
Mission:Explore
We'll also be signing students up to the Mission:Explore Wild School Account for King's Ely - at the moment there are only two members of the team: my HoD Miss Kyndt and myself, but we'll be joined soon by lots of Year 7 and 8s who will be challenged to complete the missions for prep...
Find your school's account, sign up and tell us that you're a teacher and we'll get you started...
The challenge is on !
Find your school's account, sign up and tell us that you're a teacher and we'll get you started...
The challenge is on !
Adventure Landscapes - kicking off with Year 7s
Year 7s will be exploring Adventure Landscapes.
There'll be plenty of mapping and landscape-related stuff, as well as plenty of UK-based exploring.
The first few lessons will be a mixture of Danny MacAskill (as last year) and also some Simon Jones related questioning...
Plus this Vimeo timelapse beauty to kick things off.
Marco TOMA Tomaselli Timelapse Reel 2014 from Marco Tomaselli on Vimeo.
There'll be plenty of mapping and landscape-related stuff, as well as plenty of UK-based exploring.
The first few lessons will be a mixture of Danny MacAskill (as last year) and also some Simon Jones related questioning...
Plus this Vimeo timelapse beauty to kick things off.
Marco TOMA Tomaselli Timelapse Reel 2014 from Marco Tomaselli on Vimeo.
N2 - ready for the off...
The displays are refreshed... the stationery cupboard has been restocked... the videos are locked and loaded...
Ready for the new school year...
Ready for the new school year...
Coldest stories...
What's the coldest you've ever felt ? Where were you and what were you doing ?
That's the question that Year 8s will be asked to kick off the year.
Was it doing the ice bucket challenge ?
Was it visiting somewhere extreme ?
Was it an activity that you were taking part in ?
It's a question that I asked in a resource that I wrote for the Royal Geographical Society.
It was linked to an expedition to the coldest place in the world that is inhabited: a place called Oymyakon in Siberia, also known as the 'Pole of Cold'
If I was pushed to give my answer, it would probably be camping in the Peak District one night in March about 15 years ago. There was ice on the tent when I woke up.... on the inside... My sleeping bag and carry mat weren't really up to the job...
Failing that it was standing on deck on an ice breaker heading through the Baltic between Helsinki and Copenhagen one February a few years ago. It took a few hours for my hands to warm up again. Here's a picture taken earlier in the day:
I'll be using the resources from LESSON 1 to kick off the year...
That's the question that Year 8s will be asked to kick off the year.
Was it doing the ice bucket challenge ?
Was it visiting somewhere extreme ?
Was it an activity that you were taking part in ?
It's a question that I asked in a resource that I wrote for the Royal Geographical Society.
It was linked to an expedition to the coldest place in the world that is inhabited: a place called Oymyakon in Siberia, also known as the 'Pole of Cold'
If I was pushed to give my answer, it would probably be camping in the Peak District one night in March about 15 years ago. There was ice on the tent when I woke up.... on the inside... My sleeping bag and carry mat weren't really up to the job...
Failing that it was standing on deck on an ice breaker heading through the Baltic between Helsinki and Copenhagen one February a few years ago. It took a few hours for my hands to warm up again. Here's a picture taken earlier in the day:
I'll be using the resources from LESSON 1 to kick off the year...
First day of term...
A picture taken at 6.15am this morning while on my way to Ely for the first day of term...
Fresh beginnings...
Fresh beginnings...
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Back to School
Excitement is building now, as the final weekend of a long summer holiday draws to a close.
I've been in school the last 3 days getting N2 (and myself) ready for the return.
I'm teaching Year 7 and Year 8 this year, and also have my Year 8 form in Queen Phillippa house.
We have a whole set of new exercise books ready for your excellent and creative work, new sets of Atlases, plenty of new equipment, and a load of new lessons and resources ready to use.
The new KS3 National Curriculum means that we are going to be having a bigger emphasis on the UK and on 'thinking like a Geographer' even more...
The year will start off with the traditional Ely Cathedral service, and the real start of term will come as the choristers sing and the whole school community comes back together again to set off on a new journey...
Follow the various stories that emerge here.
I've been in school the last 3 days getting N2 (and myself) ready for the return.
I'm teaching Year 7 and Year 8 this year, and also have my Year 8 form in Queen Phillippa house.
We have a whole set of new exercise books ready for your excellent and creative work, new sets of Atlases, plenty of new equipment, and a load of new lessons and resources ready to use.
The new KS3 National Curriculum means that we are going to be having a bigger emphasis on the UK and on 'thinking like a Geographer' even more...
The year will start off with the traditional Ely Cathedral service, and the real start of term will come as the choristers sing and the whole school community comes back together again to set off on a new journey...
Follow the various stories that emerge here.
A new resource I wrote on Mapping London
There is a new area of the updated RGS-IBG website which you may not have seen.
It is a project called Rediscovering London's Geography.
One outcome of the project has been the creation of teaching resources, with more to come.
The first two are now up on the website, and both would be useful to those teaching the new KS3 for the first time.
The first is a resource exploring Ice Ages and Geological Timescales, which has been written by Dr. David Anderson: Head of Geography at Eton College.
The second one is called Mapping London, and took me the first two weeks of my summer holidays to write and put together. There are 6 sessions which can be followed with KS3 students.
Thanks to the various colleagues who are mentioned along the way in the unit for their ideas which were adapted and used in various elements of the unit.
The ideas could be adapted for other cities too...
It is a project called Rediscovering London's Geography.
One outcome of the project has been the creation of teaching resources, with more to come.
The first two are now up on the website, and both would be useful to those teaching the new KS3 for the first time.
The first is a resource exploring Ice Ages and Geological Timescales, which has been written by Dr. David Anderson: Head of Geography at Eton College.
The second one is called Mapping London, and took me the first two weeks of my summer holidays to write and put together. There are 6 sessions which can be followed with KS3 students.
Thanks to the various colleagues who are mentioned along the way in the unit for their ideas which were adapted and used in various elements of the unit.
The ideas could be adapted for other cities too...
Study Day at the RGS
Heading down to London in December with the 6th form students for a study day at the RGS-IBG. Will be good to see Simon Oakes in action.
Always good to hear other people talking about their areas of expertise.
Keep an eye out for similar events by visiting the RGS page.
Always good to hear other people talking about their areas of expertise.
Keep an eye out for similar events by visiting the RGS page.
Saturday, 30 August 2014
The Ice Man
Matt Podbury and Russel Tarr are putting together a geography / history unit based on my children's book 'The Ice Man', which was published in 2012, for the lucky students at the International School of Toulouse.
It's great to see what they're creating, and you can head over to Geography Pods to see the geography related elements of the unit, along with some supporting resources.
And King's Ely students will be looking at this book too, later in the year.
It's great to see what they're creating, and you can head over to Geography Pods to see the geography related elements of the unit, along with some supporting resources.
Thanks guys !
The book is still available to purchase of course...And King's Ely students will be looking at this book too, later in the year.
Sunday, 24 August 2014
GCSE results
Following the excellent 'A' level results last week, it was wonderful to read of the excellent GCSE performances too, with so many top results in all subjects. Well done to everyone involved!
One of the projects I'm involved in during the year ahead is the writing of a GCSE textbook, which will be for the GCSE specification that is taught at King's currently. You may well get the chance to have a sneak preview of some of the contents as it is written.
Also good to see over 1000 views of the blog during the summer.
King's staff are back to work after the Bank Holiday to prepare for the first day of term on the 1st of September.
You can follow the 2nd year back in the classroom right here...
Sign up for a daily e-mail if you haven't already done so.
One of the projects I'm involved in during the year ahead is the writing of a GCSE textbook, which will be for the GCSE specification that is taught at King's currently. You may well get the chance to have a sneak preview of some of the contents as it is written.
Also good to see over 1000 views of the blog during the summer.
King's staff are back to work after the Bank Holiday to prepare for the first day of term on the 1st of September.
You can follow the 2nd year back in the classroom right here...
Sign up for a daily e-mail if you haven't already done so.
Thursday, 14 August 2014
'A' level results...
Great to read of King's Ely students doing so well in their 'A' levels - results were out today... Next week sees the GCSE Geography results too...
Those in KEJ will be standing outside the Old Palace with their result slips before they know it :)
Those in KEJ will be standing outside the Old Palace with their result slips before they know it :)
Saturday, 9 August 2014
Summer post 8: Antarctic base loses power
Imagine if you were living in a remote part of Antarctica, with sub-zero temperatures outside and no hope of rescue, and the power suddenly goes off...
This happened a few days ago at the new Halley base in Antarctica, as described in this BBC report.
This happened a few days ago at the new Halley base in Antarctica, as described in this BBC report.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)