Holidays

Well, it's time....and typically we have rain on our last day.Never mind ! I have put in a phone call and have guaranteed 7 weeks of sunshine ahead....honest!!!

Enjoy every minute of your holidays, don't spend all your time sleeping....remember and get the cameras out for the competition.

I'm off to Costa Rica....really looking forward to it. It's a geographer's paradise , with rainforests and active volcanoes. Grrrrreat

In the meantime, here is a wee video to remind you :

Higher / Int 2 Fieldtrip 2012

The letter  will be given out tomorrow, but here is a copy of the contents:

This letter is advance warning of the Higher / Intermediate  Geography residential excursion to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales which leaves the school on Tuesday, 18 th  September and arrives back in the afternoon of Thursday , 20th . (Tuesday is a holiday for pupils.)

We will visit the Yorkshire Dales , famous for its limestone scenery and The Lake District  with its Glaciated scenery , allowing us to study a large section of the Lithosphere and Rural Land Resources sections of the course. Although not compulsory , it is a very useful and enjoyable part of the course.

We will take a minibus down to Ingleton , where we visit the White Scar Caves and then travel onto Ambleside where we stay for the 2 nights in the Youth Hostel ,  completing  a further  day and half of fieldwork in the Lakes.

The school is able to pay for the minibus but most of the cost of the trip will be paid for by pupils . The cost will be    £  70  each , which includes 2 evening meals, 2 breakfasts , 2 packed lunches , 2 evenings in the Youth Hostel , diesel costs and entrance to the caves.

Should you wish your son / daughter to take part in this, please pay the initial £30 , non returnable deposit, in the second week of the new term. The final payment will need to be paid by the 14th of September. Unfortunately we will not be able to refund full payments if your child withdraws from the trip after this date. However, if there is anybody who would like their son or daughter to attend but is unable to pay the full amount by then, please do not hesitate to phone me.

Final details and consent forms will be issued nearer the date of departure.

Yours Faithfully ,

Blea Tarn in the Lake District

White Scar Caves in The Yorkshire  Dales

Limestone Pavement , The Yorkshire Dales

Carboniferous Limestone...help?

There are various places on the web where you can access further information on limestone scenery.

Try using the BBC site to revise on the topic.Follow this link to try some interactive work, especially looking at features on OS maps.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/limestone/

In addition to this, you can search for short video clips looking at surface and underground features.Go to the video clips and search for Limestone scenery.:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/secondary/geography

If you want to find a panorama picture of various sites in the Yorkshire Dales , please go to:

http://whs.moodledo.co.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=52953

Halong Bay, Vietnam , with its distinguishing Limestone pinnacles.

Carboniferous Limestone Scenery

Who would have believed that we once had tropical oceans over the UK. What evidence do we have ?

Limestone. Here are some photographs of the Yorkshire Dales:

Of course, Limestone is found all over the world.One of the most famous areas is Guillin in China:

OS MAPPING HELP

For all those who have trouble with mapping skills, try looking at the official Ordnance Survey website.Mapzone has several help sheets available to download and has  quite a few practice exercises for you to try.  Go to: http://mapzone.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone.

Countryfile

Countryfile tonight is based on the Dorset area.We study that as part of the Higher/ Intermediate 2 course.It is the scene of some stunning coastal features such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door:

Photographic Competition for all "!

The Geography Department

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION 2012

Who ?  Open to all pupils from S1 – S6

What ?  The subject for the photograph is ‘The World Around Us’. The theme is open to individual interpretation but all entries must have a sense of Geography at their heart.

Entrants can submit up to three photographs in colour or black and white. All photograph submissions must be 5 megabytes or smaller, must be in JPEG or JPG format. These can be submitted on a pen drive, CD rom or emailed.

Each entry should have the name of the pupil and the location of the photograph on it.

Prizewinning entries may be placed on the school/ department website and on the notice boards.

There will be a prize for the    winning entries in each year group. These winning photographs will be submitted for entry into The Scottish Association  Of Geography Teachers photographic competition in October. Further details of that competition will be given at a later date.

Competition Deadline:  Friday, 7^th September .

Bad weather ahead !!

It doesn't look good for the weekend of the 15th to the 17th of June. I hope noone has an open topped car booked for the Prom tonight!!!

Look at this satellite image. What type of AirPressure is coming our way ? What type of weather will it bring ?

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/surface-pressure/

Geocaching 2

What to do when finding your first Geocache:

Geocaching

Have you ever tried Geocaching ?

Have a look at this video and this website link.Why don't you have a go at finding a geocache during the long holiday. All you need to do is register with the site ( for free )and use a GPS on your phone to find the sites. 

http://www.geocaching.com/

The Latitude/ Longitude Song

And another one to sing along to !!!

The Geography Song

Can you sing along ???

The Olympic Torch arrives in St Andrews

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18420480

Weathering, Higher / Int 2 class

An example of exfoliation, or onion peel weathering. This happens with extremes of temperature.This rock was in the Namibian desert.

Biological weathering, when tree and plant roots get into cracks in the rocks.

S4 Population homework help

I have given you a more difficult homework question this week.It is the Higher 20012 question. I wouldn't have given you it if I didn't think you were capable !!!

Look carefully at the Demographic Transition model in the question and below :

1. You are only being asked to describe the Birth and Death rates in stages 1 - 3. Are they high or low?Are the stationery, fluctuating , decreasing or increasing ?
2. The next thing is to try to give an explanation for those birth and death rates. Was there adequate medical care in the past? Were contraceptives available ? Were there vaccinations, clean water or a good diet ? Stage 1 is the UK , pre agricultural revolution.
3. The Question is worth 10 marks, you should make 10 good points.
4. Now look at the pie chart. Look carefully at each portion. What has happened to the numbers of pensioners, working age and children ? Give the figures....this will get you 3 marks. Now think of problems: What will happen in the future ? Take a look at these videos from the BBC website which look at the problems that different countries are having with the world's changing population.In particular , look at the video for the UK.
5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15368276



Popocatepetl

On the news today, an important newsflash regarding Mexico's most famous volcano. Follow the news link below:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18290809

A few years ago I drove from Mexico City southwards and had the opportunity of viewing the volcano.It was active at that point and it  had some smoke coming out of it.

Why does Mexico have volcanoes and why has Mexico city been struck by earthquakes several times?

It is right on a plate boundary , between the North American , Cocos and  Pacific plates .It is also part of the 'Pacific Ring of Fire'.