I'm hoping that those of you resitting the DME are making regular visits to the blog as it seems that Sports Day, Maths exams (and, I'm sorry to say, a bit of exam stress and/or general apathy on your part!) are getting in the way of us having any sort of conversation about the DME before your exam.
A new series of 'Mary Queen of Shops' has just started on BBC2 (it's 9.05pm on Monday 7th June as I write this!) and the focus of the series is to help out local shopkeepers and give them some support in keeping their small businesses running - not sure how useful it will be, but might be worth a watch.
I also have some photos that I took when we were in Sheringham with the Year 13 geographers a few weeks back, which are on Flickr here. As you will know, the last couple of resources in the booklet (and therefore, presumably, the decision) focus on Sheringham and the proposals for a supermarket there. There was much discussion about the proposals to build a Tesco in Sheringham, and the majority of local people fought very strongly against it. Miss Taylor and I were amazed that, in a town similar in size to Alfreton or Ripley, we found only five shops/businesses that we had heard of (ie 'chain stores' of some description) and even then, those five included names like Julian Graves - not exactly McDonald's or Tesco!
Showing posts with label dme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dme. Show all posts
Monday, 7 June 2010
Saturday, 5 June 2010
DME...
Those of you resitting the DME could do worse than to have a listen to this podcast from Mark Howell who is a Geography teacher in Northampton. As well as discussing and explaining the resources in the booklet, Mark also talks about the sorts of questions that you can expect for each of the resources...
A quick search of the iTunes store will bring up lots of other geography revision podcasts as well. Or, you could make your own!!
A quick search of the iTunes store will bring up lots of other geography revision podcasts as well. Or, you could make your own!!
Friday, 30 April 2010
DME Resits (Yr11)
Those of you resitting the DME (at least those of you who are not STILL on holiday...) will be interested to know that the resource booklets are in school and you will be receiving them soon.
I've been at a meeting this afternoon to discuss ideas and put together some teaching resources, and we'll get some lunchtime/after school sessions up and running soon.
In the meantime, the theme (as you should know by now) is "Local shops for local people?", so you can get thinking about what the issues might be, and do a bit of research. I've put a few links together here and will continue to add to this list. If you find anything particularly interesting, either leave a comment here with the link, or email it to me and then everyone can benefit.
I've been at a meeting this afternoon to discuss ideas and put together some teaching resources, and we'll get some lunchtime/after school sessions up and running soon.
In the meantime, the theme (as you should know by now) is "Local shops for local people?", so you can get thinking about what the issues might be, and do a bit of research. I've put a few links together here and will continue to add to this list. If you find anything particularly interesting, either leave a comment here with the link, or email it to me and then everyone can benefit.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
GOOD LUCK!
Tomorrow is the big day...
Remember, read the questions carefully, answer the question that you're asked, use the evidence from the booklet to support your answers, allow enough time (1/2 hour) for the decision question...
GOOD LUCK - I know that you will do brilliantly!
Remember, read the questions carefully, answer the question that you're asked, use the evidence from the booklet to support your answers, allow enough time (1/2 hour) for the decision question...
GOOD LUCK - I know that you will do brilliantly!
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Muaitheabhal windfarm gets the go-ahead
Those of you who've had a look at the Moorland Without Turbines website will have seen the news that the 33-turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm on the Isle of Lewis (further south than the 181-turbine proposal that your decision is likely to focus on) was given the go-ahead on 14th January. Here is the press release from the Scottish Parliament...
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Year 11 - DME
A few more links...
I am not sure why I didn't have this one - Moorland Without Turbines - on my original list. It is (hopefully obviously!) the website of a group opposed to the development of windfarms on Lewis and the other Western Isles, and there are lots of useful/interesting bits and pieces including photos, media coverage and the group's response to planning consent being granted on 14th January 2010 for the 33 turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm in the south of Lewis. There is also a number of maps detailing the various windfarm projects on Lewis and Harris.
You might also like to have a look at this .pdf document that I've just come across on the Lewis Wind site... The first paragraph of the Executive Summary reads:
The key objective of the study has been to help the Western Isles to deliver economic and community benefit by identifying renewable energy potential, including the role for different scales of energy generation compatible with environmental obligations. A second objective has been to identify other opportunities for sustainable development initiatives across the Western Isles.
At 133 pages, I wouldn't necessarily expect you to read all of it, but there are some interesting points made... (Note that this study was commissioned by Lewis Wind - the company who are proposing the windfarm developments.)
Some of you were asking the other day about crofting... The Scottish Crofting Federation website has lots of photos and a FAQs section.
If you want to know more about peat, then you could do worse than to visit the website of the International Peat Society. Also, this Guardian article looks at the Isle of Lewis crofters who are returning to the old tradition of cutting peat to use as a domestic fuel - and considers the environmental impacts of peat-cutting on the protected peatland areas.
The Explore Scotland site has a range of information about the Outer Hebrides, including a tourist guide with maps of the area and a Lewis Virtual Tour.
I am not sure why I didn't have this one - Moorland Without Turbines - on my original list. It is (hopefully obviously!) the website of a group opposed to the development of windfarms on Lewis and the other Western Isles, and there are lots of useful/interesting bits and pieces including photos, media coverage and the group's response to planning consent being granted on 14th January 2010 for the 33 turbine Muaitheabhal windfarm in the south of Lewis. There is also a number of maps detailing the various windfarm projects on Lewis and Harris.
You might also like to have a look at this .pdf document that I've just come across on the Lewis Wind site... The first paragraph of the Executive Summary reads:
The key objective of the study has been to help the Western Isles to deliver economic and community benefit by identifying renewable energy potential, including the role for different scales of energy generation compatible with environmental obligations. A second objective has been to identify other opportunities for sustainable development initiatives across the Western Isles.
At 133 pages, I wouldn't necessarily expect you to read all of it, but there are some interesting points made... (Note that this study was commissioned by Lewis Wind - the company who are proposing the windfarm developments.)
Some of you were asking the other day about crofting... The Scottish Crofting Federation website has lots of photos and a FAQs section.
If you want to know more about peat, then you could do worse than to visit the website of the International Peat Society. Also, this Guardian article looks at the Isle of Lewis crofters who are returning to the old tradition of cutting peat to use as a domestic fuel - and considers the environmental impacts of peat-cutting on the protected peatland areas.
The Explore Scotland site has a range of information about the Outer Hebrides, including a tourist guide with maps of the area and a Lewis Virtual Tour.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Year 11 - DME
Lots of links here that will be of use/interest:
Energy Gap Links:Britain facing large energy gap (BBC News article, Nov.05)
Britain 'faces power cuts threat' (BBC News article, Sept. 08)
Energy gap means nuclear power is a must (Telegraph, July 09)
Energy entrepreneurs can plug the gap in our energy supplies (Telegraph, Nov. 09)
Closing the energy gap (Greenpeace/WWF summary paper, Sept. 08)
The Energy Gap (Guide from Sense about Science)
Launch of £100bn wind energy programme (Guardian Jan. 2010)
General Wind Energy Links (how it works, etc.):
Energy Kids - US site explaining how wind energy works, types of turbine, etc.
BBC Video on How Wind Produces Electricity
BBC News - Government sets 2020 renewables targets (video clip)
Pro- Wind Energy Links:
British Wind Energy Association
Proven Energy includes energy calculator and allows estimate of energy production
Dept. Energy Wind Speed Database online and downloadable database that links to GIS.
EcoTricity - why wind energy?
Wind Power Works - part of Global Wind Energy Council, various facts & figures, including 12 wind farm case studies from around the world.
Anti- Wind Energy Links:
Fairwind lobby group for Ardnamurchan, Morven and Mull
Isle of Lewis Wind Energy Links:
Google map link to Pentland Road Site, Eilean Siar (Isle of Lewis)
BBC News (video clip) about Lewis proposals
BBC News (video clip) about opposition to Lewis proposals
RSPB report about Lewis Windfarm proposals
Scottish Government News Release - decision on Lewis windfarm planning application
Scottish Wildlife Trust - response to planning application decision
Also, some of you were having trouble finding the Teachers' TV video - Electricity for the Future. It's here. I believe that some of you have watched it in Science, but it'll be a useful reminder of how electricity is generated and might provide you with some evidence to support the decision you make in the exam next week.
Friday, 8 January 2010
£100 bn for offshore windfarms
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Year 11 - DME Preparation
Good evening Year 11. Hopefully you are enjoying the snow - and keeping an on the forecasts and the news reports...
We will most likely be back on Monday so that you can have your DME booklets and we can get started properly with the preparation for the exam on 29th January. In the meantime, however, it's worth you having a think about the energy crisis, alternative forms of energy, wind energy, and the Isle of Lewis. I've gathered quite a few links together which I will post tomorrow. Had we been in yesterday afternoon, however, the plan was for us to watch this Teachers' TV video which looks at the production and use of electricity, the impacts of our energy use, and considers where we'll get our energy from in the future. It would be very useful for you to watch the video, note down any key words, and then to do some research around the topics mentioned earlier. If you find any particularly useful websites, email me the URLs, or leave a comment here with the link.
And when you have done so much work (!) that you need to go play out, have a go at one or two of the activities in the Year 10 post... Have fun!
We will most likely be back on Monday so that you can have your DME booklets and we can get started properly with the preparation for the exam on 29th January. In the meantime, however, it's worth you having a think about the energy crisis, alternative forms of energy, wind energy, and the Isle of Lewis. I've gathered quite a few links together which I will post tomorrow. Had we been in yesterday afternoon, however, the plan was for us to watch this Teachers' TV video which looks at the production and use of electricity, the impacts of our energy use, and considers where we'll get our energy from in the future. It would be very useful for you to watch the video, note down any key words, and then to do some research around the topics mentioned earlier. If you find any particularly useful websites, email me the URLs, or leave a comment here with the link.
And when you have done so much work (!) that you need to go play out, have a go at one or two of the activities in the Year 10 post... Have fun!
Sunday, 25 January 2009
GOOD LUCK!
It is pleasing to see that there's been a lot of visits this weekend (at least a few of them from Alfreton!)...
Remember:
- stakeholders
- sustainability (social, economic and environmental)
- read the questions carefully
- justify your answers
GOOD LUCK!!
Remember:
- stakeholders
- sustainability (social, economic and environmental)
- read the questions carefully
- justify your answers
GOOD LUCK!!
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Liverpool - DME
Some links related to Liverpool that you may wish to have a look at:
Liverpool Vision
Liverpool Culture
Visit Liverpool
Liverpool Pictorial
Liverpool Vision
Liverpool Culture
Visit Liverpool
Liverpool Pictorial
Thursday, 15 January 2009
DME - Brindley Place and Broadmead
Birmingham
Brindley Place website
Brindley Place images
Birmingham UK
BBC 360 tour of Brindley Place
History of Brindley Place
The Bullring website (look esp at the Education section)
Beetham Tower
Matthew Boulton College
Bristol
Cabot Circus website (look esp at the About Us section)
Broadmead Bid
Destination Broadmead
Using the websites above, Google Earth, and any other relevant websites that you find:
- add any additional points to your table showing the key features of the Birmingham and Bristol regeneration/redevelopment schemes.
- for each scheme, list the advantages and disadvantages... try to consider as many different stakeholders/interest groups (ie people who would have an opinion about the schemes) as you can... remember, that a factor that is an advantage for one stakeholder might well be a disadvantage for another.
- compare and contrast the two schemes.
- suggest which of the two schemes you think is the most sustainable (remember, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability), and justify your answer.
Save your work, email a copy to me, and print a copy to put into your DME folder.
Brindley Place website
Brindley Place images
Birmingham UK
BBC 360 tour of Brindley Place
History of Brindley Place
The Bullring website (look esp at the Education section)
Beetham Tower
Matthew Boulton College
Bristol
Cabot Circus website (look esp at the About Us section)
Broadmead Bid
Destination Broadmead
Using the websites above, Google Earth, and any other relevant websites that you find:
- add any additional points to your table showing the key features of the Birmingham and Bristol regeneration/redevelopment schemes.
- for each scheme, list the advantages and disadvantages... try to consider as many different stakeholders/interest groups (ie people who would have an opinion about the schemes) as you can... remember, that a factor that is an advantage for one stakeholder might well be a disadvantage for another.
- compare and contrast the two schemes.
- suggest which of the two schemes you think is the most sustainable (remember, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability), and justify your answer.
Save your work, email a copy to me, and print a copy to put into your DME folder.
Saturday, 10 January 2009
DME Preparation...
Congratulations again on a fantastic set of mock DME results - let's make sure we do as well (if not better!) in the real thing on 26th January...
We started our DME preparation on Monday with a general look at the resource booklet and some of the issues involved - "City Centres: Vibrant Hub or Dead Heart?".
Yesterday's lessons focused on Resources 1-4, looking at city centres as "vibrant hubs" - particularly pre-1970, with a variety of land uses such as retailing, leisure and entertainment, services such as hospitals and schools, business and enterprise and some housing - and then at some of the problems that have developed in city centres - the downward spiral of congestion, pollution, crime and neglect that have led to some city centres being described as "dead hearts". Some interesting ideas about whether Derby's city centre is a "vibrant hub" or a "dead heart" - some of you thought that the development of the Westfield Centre had had a positive impact, others disagreed...
Resource 3 started with an advert for Windmill Hill Business Park on the outskirts of Swindon. Why have developments like this one occurred? Why might a company choose to locate here instead of the city centre?
We then looked at the locations of the out-of-town shopping centres listed in Resource 3. Capital Shopping Centres own 14 shopping centres, including Braehead, Lakeside, Cribbs Causeway and the Metro Centre which were all mentioned in Resource 3, as well as the Victoria Centre in Nottingham. Their website and those of the shopping centres make for interesting reading, particularly the corporate responsbility and environment sections.
Resource 4 considered the reasons for the success of out-of-town shopping centres - increase in car ownership, "weather-free", everything under one roof... It also considered some of the reasons why some people are opposed to out-of-town shopping centres.
We started our DME preparation on Monday with a general look at the resource booklet and some of the issues involved - "City Centres: Vibrant Hub or Dead Heart?".
Yesterday's lessons focused on Resources 1-4, looking at city centres as "vibrant hubs" - particularly pre-1970, with a variety of land uses such as retailing, leisure and entertainment, services such as hospitals and schools, business and enterprise and some housing - and then at some of the problems that have developed in city centres - the downward spiral of congestion, pollution, crime and neglect that have led to some city centres being described as "dead hearts". Some interesting ideas about whether Derby's city centre is a "vibrant hub" or a "dead heart" - some of you thought that the development of the Westfield Centre had had a positive impact, others disagreed...
Resource 3 started with an advert for Windmill Hill Business Park on the outskirts of Swindon. Why have developments like this one occurred? Why might a company choose to locate here instead of the city centre?
We then looked at the locations of the out-of-town shopping centres listed in Resource 3. Capital Shopping Centres own 14 shopping centres, including Braehead, Lakeside, Cribbs Causeway and the Metro Centre which were all mentioned in Resource 3, as well as the Victoria Centre in Nottingham. Their website and those of the shopping centres make for interesting reading, particularly the corporate responsbility and environment sections.
Resource 4 considered the reasons for the success of out-of-town shopping centres - increase in car ownership, "weather-free", everything under one roof... It also considered some of the reasons why some people are opposed to out-of-town shopping centres.
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Coursework Deadline, Mocks and DME
Hopefully the coursework is going well... Remember that we agreed on Monday 17th November as the FINAL deadline.
Final deadline means a complete piece of work (spell-checked, printed, with title page, contents page, bibliography, etc.)! I will give you a list next week of reminders about how your work should be presented.
If you are sorted on the coursework front and short of something to do (!) then you might like to have a think about the DME title for January 2009 which is "City Centres - Vibrant Hub or Dead Heart?". More details and links to come in the next few weeks...
Remember also that it is not very long until mock exams - for Geography, you will have a "terminal exam" which will examine all the work that you have done since the start of Year 10, and a DME exam which will be a previous DME exam and which we will spend some lesson time preparing for.
Final deadline means a complete piece of work (spell-checked, printed, with title page, contents page, bibliography, etc.)! I will give you a list next week of reminders about how your work should be presented.
If you are sorted on the coursework front and short of something to do (!) then you might like to have a think about the DME title for January 2009 which is "City Centres - Vibrant Hub or Dead Heart?". More details and links to come in the next few weeks...
Remember also that it is not very long until mock exams - for Geography, you will have a "terminal exam" which will examine all the work that you have done since the start of Year 10, and a DME exam which will be a previous DME exam and which we will spend some lesson time preparing for.
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