The Learning Cafe

In class we have been talking about the different factors that influence climate in New Zealand. We have also gathered some information about the climatic characteristics of named places in the SIHC.

Your task today is (to be completed in a Google Doc):

1. view the climograph data (in the embedded spreadsheet) and describe the climate for each location.
2. try to match the locations with the named settlement.
3. Choose two of the SIHC towns and explain how and why their climates differ.

Extension task:

Try to create a climograph in Excel using one set of climate data

Climatic Data SIHC - Find Documents

Collaboration

Today we will start a little bit of collaborative work. This means you will need to work together in groups to complete a task. It is one of the most important skills we can teach you at school, because working together and relating to others is something people need to do throughout their lives.

Your Task

In some ways countries are like people. Countries can develop reputations for things that have happened in the past and how they reacted to these events. People often make judgments about individuals based on their country’s reputation. We are going to find out about how New Zealand’s identity has been shaped by past events.

Your group must create a collaborative document about a significant (important) event in New Zealand’s history. You need to cover these four areas:

1. Describe the event. (Use 5 W’s)
2. Explain the background issues that caused the event.
3. Name three people involved and their viewpoint about the event.
4. Explain how this event helped shape New Zealand’s reputation.

Good luck, of course I will be around to help you

Over the last few lessons we have been learning how the Southern Alps were formed during the Kaikoura Orogeny. Now we will look at the processes that wear the Southern Alps down.

Your task:

Explain how a glacier works by writing a concise paragraph using the following words: submit it as a comment to this post. Try to put the key words in bold.Who can write it in the least words, but still make sense!

When you have completed your task, see if you can add THREE words to our Moodle glossary. Click here

Hi guys, you should be well underway with your local geographic research assignment. This site will be useful for those of you collecting primary data through surveys and questionnaires.

Survey Tips: How to write a good survey questionnaire

Welcome to the resource centre for our Valuing and Social Decision-Making Assessment.

Biofuels: Burning up our future??

As we have learnt in this unit already, one of the big environmental issues is the use of fossil fuels. People are looking for more sustainable alternatives. Biofuels - fuel made from plants and other organic matter - are often seen to be a great alternative. However, some people are saying that these biofuels do more harm than good.Your Social Studies teacher has provided you with an assessment booklet, please read this before viewing the resources. You should take notes on extra paper, so you can record and organise your ideas. You should then complete your assessment sheets and submit them for marking.

”’Resources”’

*”Fish’n'Chips get you moving”: Video

*”Protesters go ape over biofuels”: Video

*”Starvation - this high price of biofuels”: Video

*”Comparing Biofuels” Interactive diagrams:

*”Rush for biofuels threatens world food supply” Newspaper article

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Today we will begin looking at our second Natural Landscape - The South Island High Country. This is basically the land above 1000m in the South Island. Its a pretty big area, in fact it covers 70% of the South Island (this fact surprises many residents of the largely flat North Island)

Your first task is to do a little mapping. We will create a layer of SIHC features in Google Earth. Your job is to:

1. Create a new Google Earth layer called ‘SIHC’ with seven folders
   
2. Locate and label the following with appropriate icons and organise into folders:

Once you have finished, I would like you to leave a comment about how mapping this way is better or worse than using paper and an atlas