Dolphin School Geography

A New Year

2011-09-13T02:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back

Welcome back to a new school year. There are lots of exciting new things happening in the Geography Department this year.

The most obvious is that the large notice board in the Chapter House has been put over to a display showing where YOU have travelled to. This board will develop through the year as we put up writing and pictures of YOUR geographical travels.

Mapwork Games

2011-03-06T22:59:00.001-08:00

This site has some great games to help with your map skills.
mapzone

Australian Cyclone

2011-02-03T03:15:00.000-08:00

As if being hit by terrible floods the Brisbane area of Australia has just had to endure Cyclone Yasi. The link below takes you to the BBC news site for more information, pictures and video.

BBC News Cyclone Yasi

A cyclone is the same as a hurricane, they are called different things in different parts of the World.

The names that are given to hurricanes and cyclones (such as Yasi and Katrina) are decided long beforehand and follow a pattern. More information on this can be found by following this link: Naming Hurricanes

Floods in Australia

2011-01-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

There has been some incredible scenes and stories coming from Australia about the terrible floods experienced in the country. The scale of these floods is quite incredible.

Year 5 Hills

2010-11-05T05:55:00.000-07:00

As part of their work on maps Year 5 were given the task of creating 3D hills using layers of card. Here are their fantastic results.

Year 6 Glaciers

2010-09-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

I have continued to be really impressed by the way that Year 6 are progressing with our study of glaciers. This link takes you to an animation showing how glaciers advance and retreat. This is quite a difficult notion to grasp as all the while the ice is moving down the valley.

The Earth

2010-09-15T04:29:00.000-07:00

I embedded this video as part of Year 8's homework but think it is worth putting on the blog here for all to see. The layers of the earth done as a rap! Brilliant.

Year 6 Glaciers

2010-09-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Year 6 have been looking at glaciers this week. Both groups worked fantastically to work out all of the inputs and outputs with just the merest of clues.

This video shows a dramatic calving event. Ice bergs are one of the outputs.

New Year

2010-09-07T04:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back.

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and saw (and noticed) lots of GEOGRAPHY. I look forward to hearing about your holiday adventures during our lessons. Please bring in photos of where you have been to show me and the rest of the class.

Flooding In France

2010-06-18T03:10:00.000-07:00

The flash floods have been devastating in France. Year 6 and above should be able to recognise some of the causes of the floods, and it is not just rain.

Iceland Volcano

2010-04-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

It is not very often we are in the U.K. are affected by volcanoes but this is just what happened this Easter with flights being cancelled for days and travellers stranded. Of course the eruption would have not surprised Dolphin geographers who are well aware that Iceland sits astride the constructive plate boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates.

Year 5 Ironbridge

2010-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Follow this link for a great game where you have to try and make iron. Read the instructions and then have a go at the coke blast furnace.

Blast Furnace Simulation

Dolphin on Google Street View

2010-03-29T04:41:00.000-07:00

The Google Street View car has been past and the school can now be viewed on Street View in Google Earth. Spot the teachers!

View Larger Map

Haiti Earthquake.

2010-01-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

The Haiti earthquake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale. The latest estimates are that 100 000 people have lost their lives and the country is in ruins.

At Dolphin we study earthquakes in Year 3 and Year 8. In both forms we look at what causes the earthquakes, not justhe terrible damage they can do.

Snow Snow Snow

2010-01-10T23:12:00.000-08:00

All of our lives have been disrupted by the weather over the last few days. A good time, especially for Years 4, 7 and 8 to consider the ways that the weather (not just snow) can influence what we do.

Year 5 Measuring Distance

2009-11-25T03:38:00.000-08:00

Year 5 have been using OS maps and pieces of scrap paper to measure distance. This tool http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ allows you to measure distance with amazing accuracy. You need to go to the "more options" button and select United Kingdom" before typing in your location. It is so accurate you can use the satellite image map and measure the distance around your garden.

Year 5 Hill Models

2009-11-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

I have been bowled over by the fantastic hill models that Year 5 produced for prep. They can all be seen by following this link.
Year 5 Fantastic Hills

Glaciers

2009-10-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

Year 6 have been looking at how glaciers form, move and erode in preparation for the trip to North Wales next week. This site has some interesting animations showing how glaciers work. Have a look and hopefully they will help you understand a little bit more. Glaciers

New Year and some fantastic geography

2009-09-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Well I have been really pleased with all of the energy that all of the children have been putting into their geography this year.

I hope you all had a lovely summer. Whilst digging a big hole in the sand on the beach in Weymouth this summer my daughter asked me the question we have all probably wondered about at some time. Where would you come out if you carried on digging. Well here is the answer.... If you dig a hole...

Enjoy the game.

Year 5 Comic Strips

2009-05-15T03:44:00.000-07:00

Year 5 have been working on drawing a cartoon strip about an episode in the life of one the Abraham Darbys who are involved in the smelting of iron and the building of the iron bridge at Ironbridge. Pixton.com is a website where you can write and build up your own cartoon strips. You do need to register so check with parents first please. It is great fun. I did the one below in about 5 minutes (once I got the hang of it)! The link is here http://pixton.com/uk/

Year 6 Brecon Beacons

2009-05-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

Our study of the Brecon Beacons National Park continues. This is a nice little video from the top of Corn Du. Turn the sound down as the noise of the wind is a bit deafening!!

Year 5 Ironbridge Time Line

2009-05-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

Following the fantastic movies and presentations Year 5 have been doing I thought It would be good to put the history of iron smelting and the building of the bridge into context by building up a timeline from 1600 to the present day. Whilst doing some research I came across this fantastic resource. A detailed interactive timeline courtesy of the wonderful BBC. Apologies to the History Department if I am treading on their toes but here is the link for you all to have a play. BBC HISTORY TIMELINE

Year 6 Brecon Beacons

2009-05-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Year 6 have started their study of the Brecon Beacons National Park today. Following a Google Earth tour we looked at who owns the land within the park. It is so nice learning about the place we are going to visit!! I love this picture and although there (hopefully) wont be snow when we visit I put it up here for you to enjoy.

Year 4 Dorset

2009-05-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

Year 4 have been working hard preparing for the Dorset trip which leaves in a couple of weeks time. Sedimentary rock is the name of the day. This video is a nice introduction to the area we are going to. Look out for the folded rock.

Year 5 Ironbridge

2009-03-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

Year 5 have had a fantastic week. They have all been working on producing a short movie or Powerpoint Presentation on some aspect of Ironbridge. The energy in the Chapter House has been fantastic as small groups have been discussing, refining and producing their story boards. I am really hoping that we can start the production process next week. Well done all of you.

Year 6. Sheep Worrying!!

2009-03-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

Year 6 have been looking at conflicts in the countryside. One of those highlighted was problems with people letting their dogs "worry" sheep. This video is just wonderful. Nice twist on the old "how do you worry a sheep?" " Shout 'mint sauce' at it" joke. Enjoy.

Year 6: Conflicts in the Countryside

2009-03-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

We started a new topic today by looking at how different users of a park might come into conflict with each other. The Year 6 homework this week explores that further. Here is a rather fun video which looks at some of the issues. Enjoy.

Year 8: Earthquake Case Study

2009-02-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

Well done Year 8. Really good lessons today getting to grips with the Common Entrance question. I hope you all came out of the lesson a bit more confident about how to get the marks available for each question. Remember it is all about showing what you know. Two videos of the aftermath of Kobe. One is in Japanese! But the pictures are good. Remember this is real life and not a disaster movie.

The Papua New Guinea Flag

2009-02-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Wow, wow wow!! Geography in action. What an amazing thing to do. Take about 150 children and make a flag using the colours of their shirts (plus a bird of paradise). And not the easiest flag either as you can see below. Well done Dolphin. Fantastic!

New "Where is Dorothy" quiz.

2009-02-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

I have just posted the new "Where is Dorothy the Dolphin" quiz. Follow the link below and have a go. Hopefully there will be a lot more entries this week.

Where is Dorothy the Dolphin Quiz

UNICEF Day For Change - Papua New Guinea

2009-02-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

This Friday (6th February) we are asking all of the children in Years 1 to 8 to come to school wearing a top in either red, black or white and to make a donation to UNICEF to support their work in Papua New Guinea. Our plan is recreate the flag in the hall! Ambitious when we consider the flag. The art department are providing the bird of paradise.

Link to UNICEF web site

In geography lessons the children will be learning about PNG, comparing it to the U.K. and discussing why some countries are more developed that others.

UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights. These rights are often things that the children at Dolphin are fortunate enough to take for granted and it is an important lesson to learn that not all of the children in the world are as lucky as they are.

Snow!

2009-02-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Loads of Geography today! Of course there is the weather (Year 7 take note) but there is lots more. How the weather affects our lives and what we do is important to geographers as is the issue of transport. This satellite photo taken at 2.00 p.m. this afternoon shows the areas of snow bearing cloud. It is coming from the East, from mainland Europe and is cold. Why should it be cold? Ask a Year 7 or Year 8 geographer and they will be happy to tell you all about air masses, continentality and the importance of latitude!

NEW! Where is Dorothy? A puzzle for you all.

2009-01-31T09:23:00.001-08:00

Think you can work out where places are by following a few clues? Well have a go at the new quiz - Where is Dorothy the Dolphin? Follow the link below or on the side bar to get to the quiz page. Answers have to be in by mid-day on Friday 6th February. And there will be a prize!! Good luck.

Where is Dorothy?

Year 7: Today's Weather

2009-01-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

This Weekend

This is the surface pressure chart for today (saturday)it shows the cold front coming from the East. So what air mass is that? And what sort of weather should we expect over the weekend?

Year 8: Earthquakes

2009-01-26T09:53:00.000-08:00

We started our study of the Kobe earthquake today. But they don't just hit places far away. Just last year we had one in the U.K. How can this happen so far away from the plate margins?

Year 7 Weather & Climate

2009-01-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

We had great lessons with both groups today. Did a mini field trip around the school grounds looking for evidence of micro climates. Not the best day for it as it was just murky lurky (that's a technical weather term guys...honest) Here is a nice little game which I thought you would enjoy (thank you Mrs Lawson for the link). It is a bit American (they use Fahrenheit not Celsius) but its a good way of seeing if you have been paying attention!! Follow the link below and then press where it looks like this:

Fun Weather Game

Year 8 Volcanoes

2009-01-21T08:58:00.001-08:00

Year 8 just love this video. So sing along then guys and girls!!!

Year 5 The Seven Summits

2009-01-15T04:53:00.001-08:00

I put together this game at lunchtime to help you remember which summit is in which continent. There are also some extra bits about Everest. Interestingly the two people to first climb Everest NEVER said who stepped on the summit first.

Click here for full screen version

Common Entrance Location Knowledge

2009-01-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

To help you learn the countries of Europe, try this quiz.

Europe Country Quiz

Year 6 River Studies

2009-01-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

This video shows a hydrograph in action. It rises, it reaches the peak discharge and then it falls. Plus you get a hydrograph with it. This is fantastic and really helps understand just what hydrographs, peak discharge and lag time are all about. I know it is a pretty grotty little stream but that doesn't matter. It is within a drainage basin (just like all streams are) and shows how streams rise and fall.

Year 8 Earthquakes

2009-01-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

So when was the last earthquake? 5 years ago, 1 year ago, last month, last week, yesterday? Look at this amazing map and find out.

Latest Earthquakes

Year 8 Kung Fu Plate Margins

2009-01-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

We have had Year 8 out of their chairs working on their moves to help learn the different types of plate margins; constructive, destructive, conservative and collision. Hilarious! If anyone looked into the Chapter House they would wonder what on earth was going on! But if it helps it stick in the brain.......

Year 6 River Studies

2009-01-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

Today both groups have been looking at what could happen to a raindrop (we called her Rebecca) between falling from the sky and reaching the river. The idea is to learn about how rivers change after it rains. This video shows how the streams in the Grand Canyon changed amazingly quickly during a heavy rainstorm. Year 6 should be able to explain why it changed so quickly.

Year 5 The Seven Summits

2009-01-14T05:21:00.000-08:00

This week we have been looking at the climbing of the "Seven Summits", the highest mountain in each of the continents. The children have seen a video of an amazing boy who by the age of 11 had conquered 4 of them. This video shows him climbing Aconcagua in South America. Hopefully after watching it they may feel inspired to greater heights themselves!! Well if they are then this weeks homework will help.

Year 7 Studying Depressions

2009-01-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

This is not easy stuff but both groups worked their way through it today. Excellent effort guys and girls. Here is a video which one group saw. It is a fun way of showing how the weather changes as a depression passes. I love the cat in the hat.

Year 8. Volcanoes and Earthquakes

2009-01-12T01:17:00.000-08:00

Both Year 8 groups worked very hard today learning about the structure of the earth and what causes earthquakes and volcanoes. They particularly enjoyed this video.