The Learning Cafe

Recently, we have been looking into the Rwanda conflict of 1994. We were all pretty moved about what happened and the lack of international support. Unfortunately, there is a very similar conflict taking place right now. Your task is to find out about the crisis in Darfur.You will need to create a voicethread about (Here is an example of a voicethread to: Click here):

• Where the conflict is occuring (needs to include a map and a description)
• What is happening in the conflict
• Why the conflict is happening
• 8 Key facts about the conflict.

This is a very sensitive issue and you will need a mature and respectful approach. You final product will be fully public - people who actually live in Darfur and their relatives may see this! - so it is very important that your material is accurate and not too graphic. It should be appropriate for a Year 9 Social Studies teacher to show their class.Here are some videos that will help you understand the Darfur conflict:

1. PBS Frontline: On our watch (8 chapters, about 5mins each)
2. PBS Frontline: Interactive diagram about the groups involved
3. In Darfur, my camera was not enough

• (KTV works at school only): Click here
• Click here for Youtube version

Here is a finished example, Thank You Caleb

Some of you probably know a lot about waves already, others probably know just a little.On our fieldtrip, we will be collecting data on wave characteristics, so it is important to know what all these terms mean beforehand. I would like you to unleash the power of the internet and find out about how waves work. You should develop an answer in a word document, and then when you are happy with it you should submit it as a comment to this post.Your paragraph must include the following terms (in capitals):

Hi Guys, next lesson we will be using voicethread to anaylse and practise a past exam question on Natural Landscapes. We have got you all registered and some of you even managed to upload an audio sample. Once we have all completed our comments we will have a smorgasbord of exam interpretations and responses to learn from. Great stuff!

Click here for the full screen version or check out the embed below.

Hi Guys, to further develop our understanding of how the elements of tourism development interact, I would like you to analyse the daily rags (newspapers).

Go to a reputable New Zealand news site (see the bottom of the post) and look for some articles that directly or indirectly relate to tourism in New Zealand.

Virtually all newspaper articles are based around an event. Think about the implications of this event on the Tourism Development Elements. Decide which element has been modified, and how this might change one or more of the other elements.  Set out your thinking like this:

1. (Article Headline - hyperlink to real article)
2. (Which Elements involved)
3. (Explanation of interaction)

For Example

1. ‘Unusual unrest’ on Ruapehu
2. (Outside Factors –> Regulators–>Tourism Industry)
3. Mt Ruapehu is showing signs of increased volcanic activity (Outside factor). This has meant that many regulators have had to work together to monitor the mountain and develop plans for the safety of people using the area, i.e. tourists. Civil Defence, GNS, DOC, Police and local councils have also worked closey with tourism industry to ‘ensure appropriate actions’ in the future.

News Sites

• TVNZ
• TV3
• Stuff
• NzHerald

Now that you have completed a short answer quiz about the natural processes in the South Island High Country, it is time to have a go at a long answer that requires qualitative information.

Go to the following NZQA page with past Level 2 exam questions: Choose your own Natural Landscape question and develop an answer over the next two lessons.

Your answer needs to be about the SIHC, but you can use questions from the New Zealand Setting or the Continental Setting.

Remember to use Mr Cranston’s Handy Geo Writing Guide. and What essay ‘command words’ mean.

Please submit your selected question and answer as a comment.

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