Ning!

You have all heard of myspace, bebo and Facebook, well now become a member of ning! Ning is another 'social network' site that allows people to communicate through the internet. I have recently set up a 'ning' for the Geography department in our school.

It can be found at www.abblanchgeography.ning.com

As pupil safety in my number 1 priority on the internet, this social network is by invitation only membership, therefore allowing me to decide who can and cannot join. So far the 'ning' has mainly been aimed at sixth form students but I would like to roll it out across all years. I have collected some email addresses for Year 9 pupils and will hopefully move towards other years soon. In the meantime, if you would like to join the abblanchgeography ning then send me an email BARLOW@blanch.org.uk with your name on, I will then send an invitation to your email.

Take part in the Geography social network. Dare you miss out!



Visit abblanchgeography

Don't forget the Guinea worm!!

Year 8 came to the end of their development topic today with a visit by Jane Attar from ActionAid. Jane delivered two fantastic talks about development levels throughout the world, human rights and how people's rights are regulary denied in developing nations. Year 8 gained a clear insight in how ActionAid can help people to establish their human rights to help to develop their own communities.

We would now like Year 8 to come up with fundraising ideas to raise money for ActionAid in the work that they do. The ideas will be discussed in upcoming form time and hopefully Year 8 will have a project up and running before Christmas. Follow up todays talk on the ActionAid website

Year 8 - Earthquake Survival

Year 8 have been looking at how to be prepared for a disaster, particularly earthquakes. This week they have been looking at how to create an earthquake survival kit. It is identified that the first 72 hours after an earthquake are critical for survival, so pupils have been devising kits to prepare for living with out essential services for upto 72 hours.

Therefore, www.72hours.org is an advisory website for the people of San Francisco, USA. It provides residents will vital information about how to be prepared for a disaster such as an earthquake.

Have a look at the site as it provides pupils with interesting information about how to plan and create an earthquake survival kit.

Year 8 - "pop-up" Volcanoes

Here are a copule of images of the "pop-up" volcanoes that Year 8 recently produced. The eruptions are fantastic!!

Year 8 - Kashmir Earthquake (Homework)

Here is the information from the lesson to allow you to complete your diary entry.

Homework due in on Tuesday 24th April

Create a diary entry for this girl who was involved in the Kashmir earthquake.

Some questions to get you thinking!

What will her life be like?
What feelings will she have?
What has happened to her?
What does she need to do?
What will the future be like?

Year 8 - Trafford Centre Report

You have now begun to complete your report to your visit to the trafford centre. Your report is due in on either Monday the 5th March or Tuesday the 6th March, depending on which day you have geography.

Your homework task for the week beginning the 19th February is to complete task 2 from the instruction sheet. CLICK HERE to download the instruction sheet.

Your homework task for the week beginning the 26th February is to complete tasks 3 and 6 from the instruction sheet.

You will be supported to complete tasks 1, 4 and 5 in your Geography lessons in school.

Remember that this is a leveled assessment, therefore you need to use the assessment mountain and aim for your target grade that you recently recieved in your summative report. CLICK HERE to download the levels assessment mountain.

CLICK HERE to download the pedestrian count results so that you can complete task 5, the located bar graph exercise.

Good luck and if you need help, ASK FOR IT!!

Year 8 Merryhill Shopping Centre

Out-of-Town shopping started in the UK in 1986 with the opening of the Metro Centre in Gateshead, near to Newcastle Upon Tyne. From this point onwards many out-of-town (regional shopping centres) have been built.

The Merryhill Centre opened in 1989. Built near to the town of Dudley it offered shoppers from the nearby city of Birmingham and surrounding towns a different shopping experience.

Advantages of Merryhill:

Friendly atmosphere
Everything indoors, protected from the weather
Disabled access
Free car parking
Sucurity guards
Restaurants
Cinemas

Although Merryhill attracts many shoppers every year, its creation has had a negative impact on the local town of Dudley. Shop owners in the town have reported a 70% decrease in the number of people shopping in Dudley. Many of the chain stores e.g. Marks and Spencer, Allied Carpets, Next, BHS, Littlewoods, have now shut their branch in Dudley and have located in the Merry Hill Centre.

Dudly now uses tourism as a means of attracting shoppers. The zoo, castle and the 'Black Country Museum' are used to attract visitors to the town, where hopefully they will spend money in the local shops.

The government have now stopped the policy of building out-of-town shopping centres, but many still feel that the negative impact on local towns that surround these centres can never be changed.

Link to Merry Hill website

Link to Trafford Centre website

Link to Bluewater website

Link to Meadowhall website

Link to Metro Centre website

Image courtesy of westfield.com