Monthly Archive for January, 2008

Teacher Tube improvements?

tt
At long last some sign that Teacher Tube has improved their server speed!

I found that a recent Google Earth geotagged video file suddenly worked properly, with no buffering problems at all. Previously I’d been disappointed so it’s good to report on this development.

video2

google link Download Exeter CBD

Excellent news, since Teacher Tube is pretty much the only option for online video viewing in my digital prison (sorry, school)

Sketchup and Google Earth

Not the best week for Geography with the media and Ofsted doing their very best to ignore some of the tremendous progress that has been made over the past year, for example the revisions to the national curriculum, and the Action Plan.
I was cheered up by this example of student work:
New hospital
click to enlarge

Read more at my Google Earth blog

Fantasy Key Stage 3 scheme of work

I’ve been working on this on and off for several months. The concept-based, blank canvas that forms the revised National Curriculum is hugely exciting. This year Digital Geography will be confining itself to just a few themes. The new KS3, compelling IT (especially video), GIS and the vague concept of “authentic learning’ are my priorities.

Below is my fantasy KS3 scheme of work that is very much a work in progress. Unfortunately I’m not really in a position to do very much about actually implementing it in my school, however it’s important to me that it exists in my mind. I’ve included some key links to exemplar materials.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Key links:
Action Plan for Geography: Resources produced by the RGS
Juicy Geography Teaching and learning ideas
RGS Discovering Antarctica
RGS/DFES Your Climate Your Life
RGS Geography in the news