Calling all serious explorers!

Have you got what it takes to be a Serious Explorer? The multi-award winning Serious.. adventure series returns with a ground-breaking new expedition.
The BBC are looking for 8 explorers between the ages of 12-15.
What is on offer?

Serious Explorers will follow in the extreme footsteps of the great 13th Century explorer Marco Polo as he travelled the legendary Silk Road in search of far-eastern treasures such as silk, gold and spices.

Camels

Among many challenges, you'll join a camel train to take on the mighty Taklamakan Desert, called the 'desert of ghosts' by Marco Polo, and climb to the 'roof of the world' in the huge mountains which he had to cross as he travelled the challenging route from Europe to China. And just like Marco Polo, you'll also spend time with local tribes-peoples.

The Serious Explorers expedition will feature in a ten part documentary series for CBBC, due for broadcast early in 2010.

For more info click on the title link and fill in your application

Recycle your cycle!

What a great invention! This bike is made out of industrial cardboard and has been made for just £15. Ok, the inventor says it should last for 6 months but what do you think? For more info click on the title link!

Life in a refugee camp

Many of you have been asking me what is going on in the Congo after seeing some of the news reports that have been showing for the last few weeks.
The above picture shows a girl in the Kibati refugee camp trying to sell potatoes.

UNICEF have commented that a wave of displacement due to recent fighting in North Kivu, eastern DRC has forced 100,000 people from their homes, 60 per cent of whom are children.

In the last two months, around 250,000 people have been displaced, bringing the total number of internally displaced to around 1 million – 20 per cent of the entire North Kivu population.

The situation of newly displaced children and women is desperate. Thousands have had very little to eat since fleeing their homes. Their access to clean water and health care has been minimal. Hundreds of children are presumed to have been separated from their families and up to 40 children have been recruited by armed groups. Right now children also face a real risk of disease outbreaks and malnutrition.

The Great Southern California Shakeout

Year 9! All around Southern California this morning, people have been practising the Drop, Cover, Hold On earthquake drill that you practised in your lessons earlier this term. Find out more at www.shakeout.org and see the BBC news report by following the link in the title of this article.

See if you can earthquake-proof a room in a house by playing the Beat The Quake game:
www.dropcoverholdon.org/beatthequake/game

Win a trip to South Africa!

Do you want the chance to visit South Africa? All you have to do is take a photograph of local wildlife and submit your shot to Miss Habib or Miss Hammond, who will upload it on your behalf. For more details, go to www.geoggers.net and click on the link.

Google under the sea

WOW! How cool! Google Earth now has developed a tool which allows you to 'virtually' visit the world's protected underwater landscapes.
For more information click on the title link or visit the Google Earth web page.

Penguins washed up on tropical beach in BRAZIL!

I had to check the date when I read this story first; surely it's not April 1st? More than 370 young penguins mysteriously washed up on tropical beaches in Brazil. Fortunately the birds have now been airlifted to safety to Pelotas, South Brazil. For more information, click on the title link.

British woman skydiver conquers Everest

Congratulations to Holly Budge who became one of three skydivers who became the first to freefall at extreme altitude through the skies above Mount Everest.

For more information, click on the title link.

Bruce Parry and the Amazon

I'm really pleased to hear the Year 8 pupils asking questions about Bruce Parry's new adventures. Click on the title link to be taken to Bruce's blog and watch exclusive clips of his travels.

Crazy crazy Japan

Crazy Japan just got a little crazier! Check out this link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7654267.stm and see what monkeys have been up to in this Japanese restaurant... We'll be studying this incredible country soon, Year 9, so keep watching to see what else they are doing.

And you thought it was crowded on British trains!

This is just one of many trains heading out from Dhaka, Bangladesh to the south of the country. Today, Muslims around the world are preparing for Eid al -Fitr. Millions of residents in Dhaka have started the exodus home to spend time with their families.

Check out some more interesting pictures by clicking on the title link.

Tsunami storyboards

Miss Habib's class have been designing tsunami storyboards. A selection of the best have been published at www.geoggers.net. Click on the link at the top of the Geoggers net homepage to see them.

Interesting tourism facts that we have found out

Follow the comments section to find out the travel and tourism facts that we have found out.

Sticking to your guns

This was the theme of a Year 9 homework assignment set by Miss Hammond. We have been studying Wegener's theory of continental drift as part of our introductory module on plate tectonics. Pupils were asked to write an assembly script suitable for Mr Fuller that linked the theory to the theme of sticking to your guns. Two examples, from Holly Ambrose and Sam Blacklaws, are on the Geoggers website. Why don't you have a look?

Wave snakes are switched on!

The world's first commercial wave-power farm has been switched on. These snakes are 140 metres long. Watch the video for more information.

It's a puzzle!

Do you like puzzles? Do you like a challenge? Try your hand at these really hard atlas puzzles from the National Geographic. Click on the title link to be taken to the site.

Bring a place alive!

The Geographical Association is running a competition where they would like you to write a short story.

"We'd like you to write a story about somewhere important to you - it can be fact or fiction, set at any time in the past, present or future. Maybe your parents or grandparents have told you about what your local area was like when they were young. How have things changed? Can you imagine what it might have been like in your neighbourhood 25, 50 or even 100 years ago? What do you think your area will look like in the future? You could write a story about somewhere you've been on holiday, or a distant place you would like to visit... The decision is yours! We'll be looking for creative and exciting stories which bring places to life and bonus points will be awarded for including photographs or drawings."

Your short story should be no more than 750 words. Prizes will include fiction books as well as having your work published in both the Geographical Association magazine and website. For more information see Miss Habib.

These entries should be handed in to Miss Habib by Thursday 23rd October 2008.

Geoggers Club

Wow! What an excellent start back for Geoggers club. Miss Habib had lots of fun with the new Year 7's getting their hands dirty and making some volcanoes.
We are still meeting on Thursdays in T3 at 1.30 p.m. so drop along if you would like to join.

Year 8 Zoolab activity

Zoolab will be visiting the Geography Department on Wednesday 15th October 2008. This was a really exciting in-school visit last year with many positive comments. We have limited places available this year; if you have not returned your letter you must do so as soon as possible. Photos from last year's event can be found on the school website - click on the title link to go to the website!

The Penan Tribe

Year 8 have been looking at the Penan Tribe who are located in the Sarawak rainforest. Survival International has an excellent website (click on the title link to go to their website) that gives you some details which may be of use to you to back up your report. Check their website out for other information about other tribes that exist around the world and the problems that they are facing.

Centre of Excellence

The Geography Department is really pleased to announce that we have won an award! The FitzWimarc School has been awarded the Secondary Geography Quality Mark, achieving the status of 'Centre of Excellence'.
We have an exciting new logo that you will see around the department and we are all really excited to see the department progress in the way that it is.

Arenal watching

I've been watching Arenal volcano in Costa Rica - and it's been busy! In the four days I was there last week, I saw two ash plumes like the one in the picture. Each night, the volcano glowed red - lava bombs the first night and lava flows the next two. Steam is constantly rising from the left crater at the summit. Periodically, the volcano booms as if a bomb is going off - loud enough to make you jump. This happens at any time, day or night, so I didn't get much sleep. But, it was worth it...!!!

What a drip!

These following photos are from my summer holiday to Alghero, Sardinia.
The pictures show stalagmites and stalactites which form from water that drips in caves.

Perito Moreno breaking in winter

Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina is awesome - one of only three in Patagonia that are growing. Every so often, water builds up in the lake behind the ice and puts enough pressure to break through. The last time it happened was 16 years ago. What's special now is that for the first time, the break is happening in summer. Check out the video on the BBC news website for more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7494686.stm.

Christian Aid week

About Christian Aid and Christion Aid Week 11th - 17th May 2008

"For more than 60 years, Christian Aid has made a practical difference to millions of lives around the world. Working with people of every faith and none, we are fighting for a world free of poverty and injustice.

Christian Aid provides disaster relief, helps build long-term development, speaks up for the oppressed and campaigns for change among the powerful."

Year 9's, you are currently looking at development. Find out more about Christian Aid by visiting their website: http://www.caweek.org

Strawberries and Poles

Farmers unions have warned the government that 50,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables may have to be left to rot this summer because of tightening immigration laws.
Poles are now returning home because their native country's economy is booming. It is not just Poles who have helped British farmers. But it is likely the labour shortage will result in supermarkets importing large quantities of produce from countries such as the Netherlands to make up the shortfall in stock and we could see prices rising above current levels of about £2.50 for a kilogram of strawberries and £2.99 for a punnet of raspberries.

One reason being put forward for the staffing problems by growers is a government decision to reduce the number of workers allowed to enter Britain on a longstanding scheme aimed at foreign students.

The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS), which had previously allowed workers from non-EU countries such as Ukraine and Belarus to do the low-skilled picking work in Britain, is this year restricted to citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, who are members of the EU.

For more info click on the title link.

Chinese earthquake kills up to 9,000

China's most devastating earthquake in 30 years struck today in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The earthquake measured a massive 7.8 on the Richter scale and its epicentre was located in a mountainous region just 100 km from Sichuan's capital Chengdu, a bustling city of 10 million.

The quake hit in the middle of the school day, toppling eight schools in the region. Chemical plants and at least one hospital were also flattened, trapping many hundreds, state media said.

For more information check out the title link.

Burma cyclone

Top news story this week is the Burma cyclone. This is a natural disaster made far worse by human actions. The military government of Burma has repeatedly changed its policy on whether or not to allow aid and aid workers in. The result? An estimated 100, 000 people have died and the situation is set to get even worse as people succumb to nasty tropical diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The question of whether to donate to the appeal fund is a tricky one - the Burmese people desperately need help, but what's the point of donating if it just doesn't reach them? What do you think?

An eruption in Chile

A volcano has erupted in southern Chile, scattering ash over the surrounding area and forcing more than 4,000 people to leave their homes.

The eruption of the Chaiten volcano caught local authorities by surprise, as experts say it has been dormant for at least 450 years.

Click on the title link to be directed to the BBC news website and watch aerial shots of the erupting volcano.

Fair Trade Competition Year 9

MULTOS Consortium are sponsoring the Geography Department for a fantastic competition for Year 9 pupils. You could win a 1GB IPOD SHUFFLE for producing a windows movie maker on the theme of 'Fair Trade'. You need to produce a movie highlighting what fair trade is and a country where fair trade products are made.

The competition closes on Friday 23rd May 2008. Miss Habib will be running a windows movie maker session on Wednesday 30th April 2008 at 3.15p.m. for more information come and see Miss Habib in T3 or check out the school Geography portal www.geoggers.net

Global fashion - fair fashion?

Make sure you check out the new series on BBC3 this evening, 'Blood, Sweat and T-shirts'. This is a new 4 part series and you should watch it if you are a 'slave for fashion'.

"Six young fashion lovers swap shopping for the factories and backstreet workshops of India to learn how the clothes they wear are manufactured. In this programme the Brits also have to live in the their fellow workers homes, in cramped conditions without basic facilities like hot water and western loos. They start at a multi-million pound factory that makes clothes for some of the biggest brands on the UK high street."

Brighton Rock Icebergs?

Wow! What an amazing picture!
Bet you didn't know that it was actually an iceberg! The Brighton Rock effect in this iceberg would have been created from dirt, animal excrement and fragments of dead bodies.(YUK!)
For more information on how the iceberg formed, check out the link on the title and it will take you to the article published in The TImes.

Hill Sheep Farming Revision Game

Click on the title of this post and you can play a revision game for your case study on Hill Sheep Farming!

Farming inputs and outputs

Coastal processes

Year 7 and 8 Photo Competition winners

Congratulations to the winners of the Year 7 and 8 photo competition that the Geography Department recently held.
The Department were really pleased that you inundated us with your photos on the theme of 'places'.
We would like to congratulate the winners and runners up:
Year 7
Winner: Emma Hart
Runner up: Lucy Renaud

Year 8
Winner: Olivia Moore
Runner up: Alex Thorn

We would also like to thank Phoenix Photography for their kind donations.
For more info check out the school website!

Kenya calling tourists

Year 9, your assessment on Kenya will be soon arriving. There is a wealth of information on the internet regarding Kenya. This is one recent article from The Times newspaper suggesting some reasons why people should visit Kenya.

Mr Casiendo's revision game

Mr Casiendo's intensive wet rice farm is an important case study to revise for your GCSE; have fun practising your revision by playing the game!

Kenya video

Earthquake hits the UK

Last night at 0056 GMT an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale (according to the British Geological Society) hit the UK. Its epicentre was at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, but its effects were felt as far away as Wales. Events like this are really unusual in the UK, and this is the largest quake to hit since 1984. The largest quake ever in the UK was off the Suffolk coast in 1931 - a 6.1 magnitude quake. Find out more on our website www.geoggers.net.

Castro steps down

So, it has finally happened - Fidel Castro, after a period of ill health, has stepped down as Cuba's leader, passing the reins to his brother Raul. American businesses have been poised for years ready to step in and westernise Cuba; hopefully, Cuba's charm and spirit will remain, though a more democratic system of government will be welcome. Cuba's recent history has been a complex and uncomfortable one, yet the country has a health service way better than many developed nations. Find out more by asking Miss Hammond, who visited the country a few years ago.

Half term in Africa

Just wanted to share a couple of photos from my half term travels in Marrakech, in the North African country of Morocco. Top is my sister being dressed as a "Berber" woman, middle is a local man outside the Kasbah and finally, in a spice shop getting anti-snoring remedies! So different from Europe and only 3 hours by plane.

The world's newest country

It looks like the world is set to get its newest country this afternoon. Kosovo has decided to split from Serbia and declare its independence, bringing the total number of European countries to forty six. Russia and, unsurprisingly, Serbia, have opposed this, but the USA and the EU largely support Kosovo. Time to book flights to Prishtina? Maybe not - the Serbian minority are threatening to take action. Watch this space...

Kenya

Most of you know that I am meant to be visiting Kenya for the Easter holidays; however, there is still some uncertainty concerning the flight (surprise, surprise!).

Most of you are asking me why this is and so I thought now would be a good time to give you some information on the current situation in Kenya.

Kenya, situated in East Africa, is a well loved tourist destination for people around the world. Many people visit the country for the superb wildlife, beaches and the hospitality of the people.

A general election took place in December 2007. Unfortunately civil unrest became apparent because supporters of the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, have claimed that the general election was rigged. Since December 2007 the following has happened:
1,000 people have been killed in political violence since the December 27 elections

600,000 people have been displaced

50 per cent of these are in camps

347 settlement camps for refugees have been set up

12,000 displaced Kenyans have fled into Uganda

45 per cent of the registered refugees in Ugandan camps are children

$47m planned US aid and humanitarian donation to Kenya this year

Sources: OCHA; Kenyan Red Cross; USAID

Many charities are being overwhelmed by the Kenyan situation and with tourism at a bare minimum it could be suggested that Kenya will suffer tremendously in building its reputation as a holiday destination.

There are some very informative websites and articles including this one from 'The Times' http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3379100.ece
and the newsround site on the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7180000/newsid_7186200/7186219.stm

Some great TV coming up!

This is Simon Reeve, the journalist, writer and TV presenter who wowed us with Equator, shown on the BBC last year. I met him today at Destinations, a travel fair at Earls Court in London, and he is every bit as handsome as he looks on the television. He was promoting a new series, called Tropic of Capricorn, which airs next Sunday, 10th February, on BBC2 at 8pm. One of the countries he visited was Paraguay, and I am proud to say he was impressed that I had been there too.

Have you seen the new Geoggers website?

The new Geoggers website is up and running.  Take a look at www.geoggers.net!

Earth Hour 08

29th March 2008 8PM!!!!


'Earth Hour' is simple! "Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming."

Check out their website for more information http://www.earthhour.org/

Guess the location!

If you can guess where Miss Habib is in this picture come and find her in T3 and try to win yourself a prize! Closing date: Thursday 31st January 08.

National Geographic Bee

Check out the video bar for the final of the National Geographic Bee (NGB). The NGB is a competition run for American high school children; see if you know any of the answers.

Stranded ships on the Yangtze!

The waters of the Yangtze river in China is at its lowest since 1866. The Yangtze river supplies drinking water to millions in China, stranding ships and posing a threat to some of the world's most endangered species. For an excellent article copy the following web address in to your browser http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/17/drought.china

A $10 million banknote!

Zimbabwe will be introducing a new 10 million dollar banknote in the hope of easing their current situation of hyperinflation. How much is this worth in British Pound Sterling you may be asking yourself? Well, the answer is just £2. For more information on this story copy the following link in to your web browser http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7195569.stm


KEEP CHECKING THE BLOG FOR A SPECIAL REPORT ON ZIMBABWE BY ONE OF OUR YEAR 8 PUPILS!

Iguacu Falls

Most people think of Niagara when they are asked about waterfalls, but here's somewhere that I think is more spectacular - Iguacu Falls, which straddles Argentina and Brazil. There are 275 separate waterfalls in all (above, top) ; the most dramatic is the Garganta del Diablo, or Devil's Throat (above, middle). I viewed it from above, in a helicopter, from the water's edge on a viewing platform, but most fun was in a jet boat - I got absolutely soaked! On the Brazilian side of the falls, there's an interesting bird park, where you can get dive bombed in the cage with these parrots (above, bottom).

Glacier photos from Argentina

Top: Icebergs from the glacier drift across the lake

Bottom: Miss Hammond in front of the lake

Not all the world's glaciers are shrinking!

In a time of rising global temperatures, it is reassuring to know that not all the world's glaciers are shrinking. In the summer, I was fortunate to visit Perito Moreno in Patagonia, Southern Argentina, where I took a boat out to see the glacier close up. It was an amazing sight, more so when you could hear the glacier creaking as it slowly crept down towards the lake.

Tata the environment?

The world's cheapest car has arrived in India. India whose population is over 1.1 billion had the Tata unveiled in the Indian capital on the 11th January. The price of this car is just £1,277! The car is aimed at the rising middle class, however with over 800 million of India's population surviving on 50 pence a day should we be worrying about what seems to be another environmental headache? Make your mind up by reading the article at the Independent newspaper, just copy this url in to your browser: http://environment.independent.co.uk/climate_change/article3328387

Volcano news

Tungurahua is active again! I visited this volcano in July 2006 in between eruptions. A few days before I was due to leave the UK, it started spitting out ash and lava and took a break while I visited. I was able to soak in an outdoor hot spring right at the bottom of the volcano, but it was so cloudy, you couldn't see the top! Three days later, I read in the newspaper that some large lumps of rock had fallen in the street outside the hotel in which I had been staying. Lucky escape, or what? The volcano has now started to erupt again and a thousand people have been evacuated. It looks spectacular but the people who live nearby face losing their livelihoods. There's a video news report on BBC's news website - search for Ecuador eruption.

China going green?

China has announced plans to ban the use of some types of plastic bags and to make consumers pay for others (The Guardian newspaper, 08-01-08). China has been criticised for its poor environmental standards so this is somewhat welcome news. We could all do a bit more towards our recycling efforts and we hope you are making full use of the recycling bins that have been placed in your form rooms.

Guess the location!

As most of you know Miss Habib went to New York, New York over the Christmas holidays. The above picture is a fire hydrant from Little Italy. Other pictures she has taken from her travels include the Brooklyn Bridge, Ice Skating at Central Park and images of skyscrapers.

Happy New Year 2008

Welcome back Geoggers for 2008. Some of you have had some fantastic holidays over the festive period of which the Geography teachers have loved hearing about your adventures. Don't forget to bring in your postcards for our 'Geoggers on tour' wall.