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

Merseyside Geographical Association Junior Quiz

I know that I haven't posted for a while now, just with the dark mornings and even darker evenings, its been quite a job to get through this term! The end is now near.

I would like to congratulate 3 year 9 girls, Olivia, Erin and Elle, who recently represented the school in the Merseyside Geographical Association Junior Quiz. All 3 girls represented the school in a fantastic fashion and against tough opposition they really gave it their best effort.

Thank you girls and well done.

Year 9 - SimSweatShop

Continuing with our current topic of global fashion. After completing the ICT activity on the cleanclothes website this week, I would like you to play a game on the SimSweatShop website.

The game is a bit of fun for you, but has great value when trying to think about working conditions for people that work in sweatshops.

This is your homework task for this week:

• Play the simsweatshop game and investigate some of the stories behind the game as they appear, by clicking on 'What's the Story?'
• Below this post there is a 'comment' button. Click on this
• Leave a comment relating to what you thought about the game and what it's purpose was? Make sure you sign in with your first name and surame initial so that I know you have left a comment.

Year 9 -Why is Rosa doing Annie's job?

The notes below will help you to finish your write up about the mystery activity completed in the lesson on Monday.

Who is Rosa?

• Rosa is a 16 year old girl who lives in the Manila, in the Philippines.
• She has left home to work as a machinist for Manila Fabrics.
• Rosa works for £4 per 12 hour shift, 6 days a week. Sometimes she works 7 days a week.
• 500 machinists also work in the factory where Rosa works.
• Rosa's company provide a room for her to sleep in, which she shares with 5 other people.

Who is Annie?

• Annie lives in Cheshire. She is married with 2 children and is unemployed.
• She is a skilled fabric machinist, now looking for another job.
• The factory where Annie used to work belonged to ClothesFirst, a UK clothing manufacturer.

The situation created at ClothesFirst

• Marks and Spencers profits were decreasing, their shareholders were becoming annoyed.
• In 1990 75% of clothes sold in M+S were made in Britain, now its less than 30%.
• M+S informed ClothesFirst that they were unable to pay them such high prices to make their clothes.
• In order to survive ClothesFirst closed its factory in Cheshire and moved its operations overseas, where costs are cheaper.
• M+S clothes are now slighly cheaper and its profits are slowly rising.

Click here to see the sort cards from the lesson

Now answer the question: 'Why is Rosa doing Annie's job?'