Geography Academy

Stop press - Great Triumvirate to Join Anglos

2011-11-06T21:41:00.000Z

Great Triumvirate to Join Anglos
East Lothian Courier
Thursday 3rd November 2011

The shape of the 2011 Anglo Ryder Cup squad has finally been revealed.
Rumours that have abounded in recent weeks linking big-name signings
to an English ?dream team? were finally confirmed last night at a
packed meeting in the Mallard Hotel, Gullane. Three rising stars of
the Boomers - Monty, Gok and Lofty ? all Ryder rookies, have been
lured south of the border by the prospect of joining one of the finest
sides ever selected to contest this famous old trophy.

Anglo Captain ?On Fire? Foxy expressed his delight at the news.
?Obviously it?s a great day for us?, commented the wily campaigner,
?not only in terms of this particular fixture but for Anglo golf more
broadly. Each one of these boys brings something to the party and in
every case it tastes good?. But the English gaffer maintained that he
wasn?t complacent. ?We?ve got to stay patient?, he insisted, ?take
one shot at a time, and remain in the present?.

The Courier asked him how he had engineered three such brilliant
recruitments. ?Well?, he said, ?I realised Monts ? or ?The Full
Monty? as he?s known to the lads ? had some Anglo leanings. All those
hickory clubs he?s sold down south have shown him how the other half
live. He?s long been suspected to like vegetables and when I saw him
eating a piece of fruit I knew that he couldn?t be completely
Scottish. Monts is a winner and the thought of a Ryder debut on the
losing side was just too much for the poor lad. He wants to be
sipping pink gin from the cup on Sunday night?.

?As for Gok, he?s been on my radar for some time. I followed him down
to London Fashion Week earlier this month and we had a long chat about
the use of the spandex in golfing underwear. Obviously I was already
aware of his views on the merits of chiffon head covers and that tight
golf gloves just aren?t sexy, and I?m happy to swing both ways on
that. I realised he was worried about the coarse russet sported by
the Jocks and the thought of being made to wear tartan trews with
nothing underneath was probably the last straw. When he said that he
could make the high-street Anglo team kit look better than designer I
was delighted to welcome him aboard.

?Lofty adds a touch of class to the Anglo ranks. He?s a craftsman:
the kind of guy who holds up a blade of grass in a force ten gale just
to be sure which way the wind?s blowing. Class: you just can?t teach
that kind of instinctive golfing brain?.

Asked about Lofty's worrying tendency to collapse on the back nine
after a severe tippling at the turn, the Anglo gaffer was adamant.
?Listen?, he said, ?that was an aberration. He was a new kid on the
block at that point, unschooled in the indelicate ways of the Jocks
around the turn. He?s used, as are all Englishmen, to Bombay Saphire
49%, to Taylors ?63, and Bollinger ?52. Caught off guard by something
called a ?Dark n? Stormy? (I believe) served in a pint glass, he
naturally made a bogey or two coming down the stretch. But he?s
forewarned now. A delicate Montrachet ?82 has been summoned from his
cellar for the front nine on Saturday, and the ripe fruit of Gevrey
Chambertin ?76 should see him safely back to the clubhouse.

With a full two dozen Boomers assembled for battle this weekend, the
2011 Ryder Cup promises to be the biggest ever. Amid all the
speculations and uncertainties one thing?s for sure: the Anglos are in
rude health and ready for the fray.

2008-12-17T12:28:00.001Z

A Merry Christmas to all pupils, staff and their families and see you all in 2009!

(bright eyed and bushy tailed)

World Population Clock

2008-09-29T09:43:00.002+01:00

Many of you have been interested in the world clock we've been showing in class over the last few weeks. Click on the link below to take you to the site.

http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf

A Level - Essay

2008-04-17T08:14:00.003+01:00

Examine the factors influencing land use in the rural-urban fringe.

Having looked at this as a recent essay I decided to post one way of dealing with the question on the blog. Remember there are more ways than this to tackle it.

Go to

http://www.slideshare.net/michaelbryce

and hunt for the slide presentation there.

A Level - United Nations development animations.

2008-04-10T14:42:00.003+01:00

The animations on development that we have been looking at in class can be found on the UN's website. If you cannot get directly to it here...

http://hdr.undp.org/external/gapminder/2005/2005.html

Then look at the "Human development in animation" at the following link

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/data/

A Level - Food Aid

2008-04-10T14:38:00.001+01:00

This is another article linked from the Worldwatch site.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-food1apr01,0,5185698.story

"The U.N.'s World Food Program is struggling as costs of food and fuel skyrocket while the numbers of people needing help surge across the globe. Millions are in danger."

This quote would be a great starting point in an essay!

A level - The cost of food production.

2008-04-10T14:35:00.003+01:00

I just recieved this article from a feed I subscribe to. It has some really interesting points that would help round off any essay on the global supply of food.
This is the title....

Meat and Seafood: The Global Diet’s Most Costly Ingredients

Now follow the link....

http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/SOW08_chapter_5.pdf

GCSE Exam revision

2008-03-06T11:48:00.005Z

The exam preparation slideshow that I showed in school on Friday is now available at the link below.

http://www.4shared.com/account/flashUploader.jsp?sId=EmYZtb5plXXS3wUU

I have also added the revision planning timetables and tips sheets to my webspace at this link....

http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/4440889/39558952/sharing.html?sId=bTUo4OjpGWlH1KXq

The file you want is titled "Overall planner 2008 Easter". You will have to navigate the various sheet tabs at the bottom left hand side of the spreadsheet in order to see all the sheets I presented at the meeting in the SLT.

Happy Easter!!!

GCSE, Industry, Cadbury Schweppes

2008-01-31T12:31:00.001Z

We have been looking at the industrial process and how it applies to Cadbury Schweppes. You can find out more about the company and it's products at the company website. Just follow the link below.

http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/EN/

A Level - Food Miles

2008-01-30T08:38:00.000Z

Part of our work on Agriculture involves the way in which food is sourced from all over the planet. This recent episode of "Costing the Earth" on Radio 4 gives and excellent overview of what is happening. Food for thought.....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/costingtheearth

Higher Prelim Revision

2008-01-18T21:23:00.000Z

Now that you are setting out on your preparation for your Higher you might try checking out some of the excellent revision site son the web. A good place to start is the BBC Bitesize site. Click on the link below to get there....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/higher/geography/index.shtml

The Cloud Appreciation Society

2008-01-11T08:44:00.000Z

Here's one for the Boomers. Click on the link below and look skyward with a whole new perspective.

http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/

Higher, Atmosphere, Global Climate Change

2008-01-07T22:04:00.000Z

We are just about to start a new section in the Higher syllabus studying the Atmosphere. We will be looking at Global Climate Change as one aspect of this section. A recent post on the BBC website claimed that 2007 was the second warmest year on record in the UK (despite the wet summer!). The link below takes you to the article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7169690.stm

You can get a reminder of the chaotic weather conditions of last year by going to

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7170000/newsid_7170600/7170674.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&asb=1&news=1&ms3=22&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=2

... and if you want to be ahead of the game by the time that DJC and TLER get around to looking at climate change you can brush up on your GCSE notes by looking at a break down of how it all fits together at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/portal/climate_change/default.stm

Higher Malaria Cure?

2007-12-23T21:26:00.000Z

Just saw the latest weapon in the battle against Malaria whilst checking up on the news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7155398.stm

Geography GCSE questions - AGAIN!!

2007-12-13T12:58:00.000Z

Seems like a few of you have struggled to get into 4shared and the pages I posted yesterday. I have now posted the Big Questions on the Academy's own website at the following link.

http://www.edinburghacademy.org.uk/curriculum/geography/gcse_questions.htm

GCSE Prelim Revision.

2007-12-12T13:04:00.000Z

It appears that some of you have mislaid the revision pack I handed out a while ago - imagine that! I have uploaded the BIG QUESTION sheet and a couple of the revision sheet on to my webspace which you can find at the link below.
Happy Holidays.

http://www.4shared.com/dir/4440889/39558952/sharing.html

Malaria, Development and Health and Higher Grade

2007-12-04T10:35:00.000Z

We looked at quite a long slide presentation on malaria today in class. I'm sure some of you would appreciate returning to it in order to add to your notes. I have posted it to my slideshare space at the link below.

http://www.slideshare.net/michaelbryce

The MEATRIX

2007-11-29T12:25:00.000Z

Mr Johnstone has been taking you through the Post-War Agricultural Revolution this week in class. Check out the link below to view The MEATRIX a series of award winning (and hilarious)cartoons that take one extreme view of industrial farming.

http://www.themeatrix.com/

Edge Cities USA

2007-11-28T08:26:00.001Z

As promised in class I have uploaded the details regarding Tyson's Corner on the edge of Washington DC to the blog. Don't forget to take a look at Google Earth and in particular Los Angeles. Once you navigated to the down town area click in the bottom left hand menu to create 3D buildings. You will see the marked change in building height from the frame of the CBD into the core. Then type in "Century City" into the search box and you will find yourself taken to another great example of an edge city. A search in google images for Century City Los Angeles will give you a greta idea of what the place looks like.

Follow the link below tot he edge city power point.

http://www.slideshare.net/michaelbryce

Higher Inner City Issues

2007-11-16T16:21:00.000Z

I tried this last year as a revision exercise with my GCSE set. Listen to this classic from Tracy Chapman and see if you can identify some of the issues of life in the inner city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orv_F2HV4gk&feature=related

If you want a closer look at the lyrics for "Fast Car" follow the link below.

http://www.lyrics007.com/Tracy%20Chapman%20Lyrics/Fast%20Car%20Lyrics.html

Undergraduate Study and Careers with Geography

2007-11-12T21:45:00.000Z

I came across these pages within the Royal Geographical Society's website. If you are interested in studying geography at university then there is some good advice here.

http://studygeography.rgs.org/

GCSE River Processes (Fourths)

2007-11-12T21:32:00.001Z

There are loads of great sites out there with links to the sorts of animations that can really help with understanding. For several years Wycombe High School has had a brilliant geography website which they encourage others to use. Use the link posted below to go to thier River Processes Animation links.
http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupRenderCustomPage.asp?GroupID=12426&ResourceId=60796

GCSE Geography/Careers trip to the TUN

2007-11-12T18:44:00.000Z

One of our Geography GCSE classes was invited along to the Tun on Holyrood Road last week. John Shepherd who was instrumental in the development of the building, and has strong links to the school, set up a series of excellent talks with those institutions that work in the building. John took us a on very informative walk around the Holyrood site and was able to illustrate some of the planning issues and considerations in the area. He then gave us an excellent briefing on the development of the site of the Tun itself before taking us around the various organisations that work there on a day to day basis. We met the British Council, the BBC, The General Medical Council and The European Commission. By the end of our visit all the boys involved had a better idea on the many different careers involved in such a large development project as well as an insight into a range of working environments and organisations. On top of all that we were able to squeeze in some quality geography on changes to the inner city of Edinburgh.

A Level Central Place Theory

2007-11-12T15:35:00.000Z

I was trawling through the web and came across this powerpoint regarding CPT. The slides at the start and finish aren't really linked to what we have been doing but the ones in the middle of the presentation show how the various 'levels' of the hierarchy stack up.

http://piru.alexandria.ucsb.edu/collections/sweeney/urban_geography/Centralplacetheory.ppt#289,1,Slide 1

GCSE Prelim Revision.

2007-11-08T10:48:00.000Z

As promised I have added the slideshow that I intend to show to the Fifths on Friday to the blog. I'm hoping a click on the link below will take you to the web pages where the slideshow can be viewed again. (!!!!!!!)

http://www.slideshare.net/michaelbryce

GCSE Revision

2007-11-06T20:24:00.000Z

All the 5ths at the school will be in the SLT on Friday during PSD to start the planning process for their prelims after the christmas break. I've been trying to update the presentation and have spotted some great new developments on the BBC Bitesize web site.
If you go to the link below you will see near the top right hand side of the web page a section on revision maps. This facility allows you to draw on-line mind maps. It is pretty straight forward when you get the hang of it. Give it a go......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/

GCSE Development Indicators

2007-11-05T22:02:00.000Z

We have been talking about development this week at GCSE and in particular the Human Development Index. The link below will take you to the United Nations site where the each country is ranked in order according to their HDI rating.

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

If you enjoyed the animations then try them for yourself at;

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/data/

You will have to scroll down the page to the sub-heading "Human development in animation" to find them.

Inner City Housing - Higher

2007-11-05T21:53:00.000Z

We were looking earlier in the week at Inner City housing in both Scotland and England. I made the point that the opening credits for "Coronation Street" give us some of the most familiar images of what that sort of housing looks like south of the border. Look at the three clips below and see how many of the key characteristics you can spot. One clip is much older than the other two. Can you identify what has changed as time goes on?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUcjy3WG-Rg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyO3hIblBwg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdwBIxBQOkA

Shift Happens

2007-11-01T20:47:00.000Z

One reason I decided to start this blog was because of a recent conference I attended. At the conference I picked up a few tips on blogging and it was suggested I look at the video "Shift Happens" by Karl Fisch. Check it out for yourself and see whether you think teaching methods need to change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q