A to Z of places to learn: R to T

Whether plumbing the depths of the Thames or the shallows of consumer culture, there’s much beyond the classroom that demands further investigation, say Russell Grigg and Helen Lewis...

Rr
IS FOR RIVERS

Why bother?

Life would not be the same without rivers. The great cities of Cairo, Baghdad and London were built upon the banks of the Nile, Tigris and Thames. Children can learn so much about their local and national heritage by exploring rivers such as the Mersey, Severn, Trent and Tay. The colourful story of the Thames lies at the heart of English history: from Caesar’s landing to the seventeenthcentury frost fairs; and from the Blitz to the recent transformation of the Docks.

Rivers continue to sustain life by supplying essential fresh food and water. No wonder that some, such as the Ganges, have developed sacred status. Rivers remain lifelines for millions of farmers and are a big part of our tourist industry. River studies also enable children to develop first-hand fieldwork skills.

Resource ideas

To attract initial interest, produce a Powerpoint of dramatic river images, e.g. showing surfers riding the Severn Bore, or people walking on the Thames in the Big Freeze of 1963.

Gradually build up children’s understanding of the river in the local landscape by using photographs, maps, video and diagrams.

When visiting a river (or stream), begin by focusing on physical features (river bank, river bed, bend) and general ideas about flowing water. Use buckets, nets and trays to explore river content. Collect riverbed sediment in jam jars and study this back in the classroom. Find a shallow stretch and collect invertebrates – try to identify them using a simple key.

Ask the children to devise ways of measuring the speed of the river. Get them to drop rubber ducks or balls at different points in the river and use stop watches to time how long it takes to travel, say, 10 metres. Look for evidence of erosion and deposition at different points on a river.

Make classroom models of rivers using wet sand trays and consider how many ways children can think to cross a river. Design and build bridge/ raft/ boat models and test them. The impact of rivers on people’s lives can be considered – explore media coverage of flooding as well as looking at how and why people around the world rely on rivers.

Tips for success

Before visiting a river, get the children involved in assessing the risks of the trip by studying maps and aerial photographs.

Ss
IS FOR SHOPS

Why bother?

Shopping is an important part of children’s everyday lives. So why not make the most of it? Children can develop numeracy skills when handling money, preparing shopping lists, interpreting ‘BOGOF’ (Buy One, Get One Free) deals and comparing prices. They can develop an awareness of technological change – such as point-of-sale scanning technologies.

Through a project on shopping, children can practise speaking and listening skills by playing the part of customers and shopkeepers, interviewing shoppers, arranging promotional events and designing adverts. Develop their health awareness in practical ways – for example, show how high-sugar cereals such as Frosties compare to a bag of sugar on a weighing scale.

Resource ideas

Start with children’s experiences of shopping: where they go, when, who does the shopping at home, how (online?), what shops they know, what they see when they are there. Do they know where food comes from and who grows and prepares it for shops? These questions open up Fairtrade discussions.

Trace goods to their point of origin: fruit and vegetables to orchard and farm via docks, airport or road; frozen meat to New Zealand; clothing to India; electronic goods to China.

Produce a shop display of British and international foodstuffs; mark their journeys on a world map. Discuss with the class what is behind ‘Buy British’ campaigns.

Give groups a budget and ask them to plan a class party or outing. If visiting a shopping centre, use maps and aerial photographs to explore questions such as: why is the shopping centre located where it is? What was there before? Why is there a particular number and type of shops? What transport services are available for customers? Ask the class to compose for parents a ‘Top 10 Tips for Shopping with Children’. Make 3D models of shopping centres and classify different types of shops. Tell stories about the people behind famous shop brands and names such as TESCO.

Explore the social history of the corner shop. Discuss with children the rise of online shopping and organise debates on whether this is a good thing. Plan to open a real class/school shop – what type of shop will it be? Will it sell home-made items? How will it be marketed?

Tips for success

To gain initial interest, link shopping directly to what children and their families (want to) buy – confectionery, junk food, toys, pets, comics.

Qq
IS FOR QUIET PLACES

Why bother?

The author Phillip Pullman points out that, “If you deprive children of shelter and kindness and food and drink and exercise, they die visibly, whereas if you deprive them of art and music and story and theatre, they perish on the inside, and their starvation doesn’t show.” Drama works the mind, body and spirit.

Performance requires skills in communicating, collaborating and creative thinking. Participants often put themselves ‘in other people’s shoes’ – to see the world from someone else’s viewpoint is a key disposition in life. Performance is not just for the outgoing – set design, costume and make-up are important aspects of a play and may capture the imagination. Theatre education is a safe context in which to raise moral dilemmas and controversial questions. Theatre and storytelling in many forms is an important part of life in many cultures.

Resource ideas

Theatre education can take many forms: puppetry, musical theatre, mime, movement, stage performances, voice, improvisation, etc. Create your own finger or large puppet theatres. Use an overhead projector to present a shadow story using different shaped objects and materials. Some things look very different in shadow!

For young children, drama can take the form of action rhymes and songs; follow-myleader games; structured play and role-play; circle games; whole group mime and movement activities. Powerful starting points include picture books, paintings, objects, statues and photographs.

Drama has established conventions to create settings, develop characters, extend dialogue, hold moments still for reflection, or present alternative endings. Try techniques such as ‘freeze-framing’ (an active moment held still), ‘thought-tracking’ (a character’s thoughts are heard aloud), ‘conscience alley’ (the class stand in two lines facing each other, while a character walks between the lines at a moment of indecision and is offered advice as she or he passes by).

Often, theatre performances focus on a particular human story or issue. Devise scenarios to introduce current news stories to enliven the class theme or subjects in the curriculum. The National Drama website (nationaldrama.org.uk) provides examples. After a performance, ask children to reflect on what they have seen – how did the people in the drama story feel? Why did they behave as they did? What do we believe?

Tips for success

Try to arrange for a theatre workshop to visit the school or link with a local amateur dramatics group.