Resources Experience the real Africa


SOS Children, the world’s largest orphan charity, has created a learning resource that gives a different perspective on Africa for children in the UK. The project, “Our


Africa”, is an evolving collection of video footage from each African country – told through the eyes of children living in Africa. A learning resource for


teachers that can be readily used in the classroom in support of the national curriculum accompanies the site to make it a learning tool that students and teachers will enjoy. It opens your eyes to what Africa is really like, by the children who


live it. Children in the UK can learn about what it is like to be a living in Kenya with the same aspirations and dreams as any child the world over. It gives children in the UK a way of identifying with other cultures, traditions and lifestyle differences in a fun, informative way. In “Our Africa” children from across the continent talk about what


matters most to them – from games they play; to aspirations they have for jobs; to how they would like things changed fundamentally in their societies. Accompanying the videos is accessible and straightforward


background information on subjects such as the economics of each country, poverty and healthcare, welfare of children, history and politics, food – all of the things that pupils and teachers can use in the classroom.


• Everyone can see “Our Africa” at www.our-africa.org and view the teacher’s resource at www.sos-schools.org/our-africa-teaching-resources


The Climate Week Challenge


Register now to take part in Britain’s biggest environmental competition. This Climate Week


(March 12 to 18), tens of thousands of school children across the UK will be competing in the Climate Week Challenge, coming up with innovative, creative, and practical solutions to help combat climate change. The Climate Week Challenge is a team activity, which comes in a One


Day and a One Hour version. The One Day version is run as a national competition with a star judging panel, and the opportunity to turn winning ideas into reality. The challenge itself is kept a secret until the morning of Monday, March 12, when the competition begins. Teams compete within age categories, with different levels of


sophistication expected from the entries, but everyone from primary pupils to sixth formers will be given the same core challenge. It is a fun and effective way of raising awareness of environmental issues in the classroom, developing team working and problem-solving skills. Kassie Darling, campaign manger at Climate Week, said: “The


Climate Week Challenge 2011 saw 145,000 people taking part in Britain’s biggest ever environmental competition, judged by celebrities like Gary Neville, Eliza Doolittle, KT Tunstall, and Ben Fogle. The quality of the entries surprised and delighted everyone that read through them. We want to encourage as many schools as possible to enter the Climate Week Challenge 2012, to make it an even more exciting national event.”


• Schools must register in advance to participate. Registration for the Climate Week Challenge is now open. For more information, or to register, visit www.climateweek.com/challenge or email challenge@climateweek.com.


6 Down on the farm


The Organic Milk Cooperative is to launch a new winter education initiative for primary school children, following the success of its recent Hedgerow Safari programme. Since May 2011, 45


Hedgerow Safari events have taken place at 12 different farms and agricultural shows across the country. The positive feedback from participants has sparked the cooperative to set up a Winter Workshop programme that will take the farmyard into schools. The new education programme – aimed at children aged seven to


11 – will be run by “safari leader” Finlay McLaren, who will be visiting schools across the UK to teach about biodiversity on organic farms. An interactive hedgerow will form a central part of the workshops and there will also be a special focus on bats, with the children making bat boxes that will be put up on organic farms next spring. Mr McLaren commented: “The safaris have really struck a chord


with adults and children alike. They have loved the experience of being on the farm learning about why organic hedgerows are such important habitats. We wanted to build on this and create an education programme to run during the winter months when there isn’t as much to see in the hedges. “The free workshops will still have the hands-on elements that the


kids have loved, with activities including creating colourful birds, bugs and bats to go on the hedge frieze, and we hope they will help them to really engage with conservation issues.” As with the Hedgerow Safaris, the Winter Workshops will offer


the chance to tie into many areas of the key stage 2 curriculum. From science and geography, to history and art, there are a wide range of subjects that can be covered in association with both the safaris and workshops. The Cooperative has developed supporting documents outlining subject link-ups.


• For more information or to book a Winter Workshop for your school, visit www.teach-organic.org.uk or contact Gill Crane on 07920 057377.


Go the extra mile


The Frederick Soddy Trust has relaunched the popular ‘Go the Extra Mile’ competition in conjunction with the Geographical Association as part of its mission to encourage field studies in schools. Pupils are asked to walk for


one mile in as near a straight line as they can manage (without danger or trespass) in any direction from the school. Working in pairs, they should note what they see of particular geographical interest and relevance. Then, based on an A3 sheet, the pupils are asked to describe their mile in the form of an illustrated map of their own making, showing on it what they observe with any significant comments about the features. The key task is to explore and uncover the geographical richness of


what is immediately round you, however apparently unpromising it might seem at first glance. For example, even an alleyway of garages can provide geographical links. Investigations into such things as the differential flows of traffic


junctions, the flora and fauna of pavements and hedges, underground sewers and wires, trees in the local park, street names and patterns, local places of worship, the age size and shape of houses, and the chains of supply to the local shops all have potential.


• The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2012. Visit www.geography.org.uk/eyprimary/gotheextramile/


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