Geography Southwest Newsbites November 2023
Our November 2023 Newsbites brings exciting news of forthcoming events, and some very relevant new resources, plus topical news items from the region.
New resources have been added to the website including a topical A level investigation focussing on the risks from high waves overtopping coastal defences in Dawlish and Penzance. The resource uses real data. Investigating coastal wave processes using GIS - Geography South West.
Do look at our latest “place to walk”, devised by Paul Berry, along the Grand Western Canal near Tiverton. This fascinating, level, walk is suitable for most weather conditions and provides scenic views and wildlife opportunities. https://www.geographysouthwest.co.uk/visit-sw/places-to-walk/the-grand-western-canal/
Geography events
The new Geographical Association Branch GlosGeog has forthcoming free events for teachers and students, which can be attended in person, and live-streamed with also opportunities to access the recording after the event. Contact Emma Espley (emma.espley@gmail.com) to reserve a place/s, including number of students and their year group/s, and names of the teachers accompanying them.
Monday 13th November, from 1.30 pm to 3.00 pm. ‘Sinking Islands: Resisting Climate Change in the South Pacific’. Dr Liam Saddington, Teaching Associate in Human Geography in Department of Geography, University of Cambridge In situ at Marling School, Stroud, Gloucestershire + livestream option. FREE to attend.
Friday 17th November. Exploring Personal Geographies: Decolonising and becoming an anti-racist learner. Workshop with Iram Sammar, PhD (Geography and Education) student at King’s College London, and Education Consultant for Salaam Geographia aimed at Key Stage 3, Year 9 students. Virtual (from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm) and a repeat in situ at Cheltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire, from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm.
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) programme of talks and events for teachers can be found on their website: Royal Geographical Society - Browse our events (rgs.org). Note that some events are in-person only and there are charges for certain events. Forthcoming events include:
Educational Visits Coordinator Training (EVC) update course. Wednesday 22 November This full day course provides an update on the important roles of the EVC including risk assessments. Please note it is currently fully booked but there is a waiting list set up. EVC update workshop - 22 November 2023 - RGS
Teaching with GIS – Getting started with ArcGIS online. Thursday 16 November 2023, 10.00am - 4.00pm at the RGS in London. Teach with GIS - getting started with ArcGIS online - RGS
Maths for Teachers of A Level geography: the chi-squared test. Thursday 16 November 2023. 4.00pm - 6.00pm. (one of six on line events). Maths for teachers of A Level geography: The chi-squared test - RGS
A level study morning/afternoon. The popular study morning for teachers and their A level students is an in-person event in London on Wednesday 29 November 2023
10.00am - 12.30pm. Three main topics will be covered - hazards, changing places and the carbon cycle. A Level study day – morning session - RGS
Teaching geography internationally. Monday 27 November, 16.00 to 16.45, online free. This online event will look at what it’s like to teach geography internationally, including different types of schools and how to apply for jobs. Teaching geography internationally - RGS
Evaluating like a geographer: Wednesday 6 December, 17.00 to 19.00, online. This event will look at the evaluative demands of geography assessment objectives, and strategies for developing students' evaluative and decision-making capabilities. Evaluating like a geographer - RGS
A detailed list of RGS events for teachers in the autumn and spring term can be found here, Teacher events - RGS and the programme of lectures and general events is here, Upcoming events - RGS
Geographical Association have new courses designed to support teachers in the classroom. The new GEO series of six online webinars for A level geography starts on 7 November and runs until 12 December, starting at 1700. A parallel series of online webinars for updating Key Stage 3 runs from 7 November to 12 December at 1600. The KS3 topics are Session 1 – Rivers and the water cycle, Session 2 – Weather, Session 3 – Tectonic hazards: Volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis, Session 4 – Climate change (23 Nov), Session 5 – Maps: projections, locations and grid references, Session 6 – Geological timescales.
A full list of GA events and training for Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024 is on their website. Events (geography.org.uk)
WeSchool are running online workshops for students on future energy entitled Power Your Future on Tuesday 21st November 2023 and Wednesday 22nd November 2023, from approx. 9:00 to 13:15. PowerYourFuture (weschool.com). Details can be found on their website where there is a form to register your interest for either KS3 or GCSE and A level.
Geography resources
Both the RGS and the GA provide an extensive range of topical resources for school members.
Royal Geographical Society - Resources for schools (rgs.org)
Online Teaching Resources - Geographical Association (geography.org.uk)
The GA has a recent PowerPoint from Andy Owen on investigating coastal landforms that provides a relevant range of ideas and resources for those planning coastal fieldwork. A level coastal fieldwork - Geographical Association (geography.org.uk)
New revision books from Oxford University Press (OUP). OUP have just published a brand new revision series for GCSE geography with three separate books covering AQA, OCR B and Edexcel B. They include summary case studies, focussed revision activities and example exam questions. https://www.oxfordrevise.com/gcse/geography/
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) have set up the first network of greenhouse gas monitoring stations on saltmarshes around the UK coast to support national efforts to mitigate climate change. Like peatlands, saltmarshes can capture several tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare, but degrading salt marshes can also release stored carbon. The new network will provide valuable data on how they capture carbon and guide future policy on conserving salt marsh ecosystems. New monitoring to assess ability of UK saltmarshes to suck up CO2 | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (ceh.ac.uk)
World Tsunami Awareness Day was on Sunday 5 November and the National Oceanography Centre has a short news story featuring the work of scientist Dr Angela Hibbert who is an expert on sea level monitoring and is the UK’s Tsunami National Contact. World Tsunami Awareness Day Scientist Spotlight – Dr Angela Hibbert | National Oceanography Centre (noc.ac.uk)
The Environment Agency are running a series of public events in Wiltshire and Dorset during November looking at flood risk and flood alleviation. The focus is on groundwater flooding, the new groundwater flood warning service, natural methods of flood management and how to increase the property resilience. Wiltshire and Dorset groundwater flooding roadshow - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Bude Flood Scheme: Here is a useful update on the Bude flood defences with images and facts and figures. Bude: improving flood defences and habitats - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
River levels and Floods: Regular reports on River levels provide useful resources for investigation and case studies. Rainfall and river flow: weekly reports for England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The latest report to October 31, 2023, shows the impact of recent storms on England and Wales. Weekly bulletin: Wednesday 25 October to Tuesday 31 October 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Interactive Sea Level Rise map. Climate Central is an independent group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives. They have a range of topical resources for geographers on their website, including an interactive map of how rising sea levels will affect the UK. Students can explore the map and risks for different years and under different scenarios, and the implications for low-lying coastal areas and estuaries is particularly clear. Sea level rise and coastal flood risk maps -- a global screening tool by Climate Central
The climate change education network, CCERN, is relaunching in November with a new focus. The Interclimate Network has a useful survey pack for schools to become involved in climate action and planning. Climate Action Toolkit - InterClimate Network
Geography News:
Devon River turns pink: The Alsa Brook in Tiverton turned pink following the dumping of paint into the river. Fortunately, following a study of dissolved oxygen readings, it was not thought that there had been significant damage to wildlife. However, the Environmental Agency warned about the dangers of dumping paint and other chemicals into drains and gutters. Pink stream in Tiverton caused by binned paint - BBC News
Wistman’s Wood Acorn collection: Wistman’s Wood near Princetown on Dartmoor is an ancient woodland and a very significant ecosystem. As part of plans to double the size of the wood, volunteers collected over 5000 acorns that will be used in the project to increase the woodland over the next few years. More than 5,000 acorns picked at ancient woodland - BBC News
Storm Babet misses Cornwall but triggers alerts: Storm Babet moved across the UK from Tuesday 17 October till Sunday 22 October. Flood alerts were issued for low lying areas of Cornwall, as the storm coincided with very high spring tides. There was disruption to travel by road and rail. Storm Babet: Flood alert issued for parts of Cornwall (msn.com)
Mevagissey and other towns in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset flooded: One week after Storm Babet, from the 28 to 30 October 2023, a super high tide coinciding with heavy rain and a tidal surge led to flooding in Mevagissey, Looe, Saltash, Porlock and along the Dart and Kingsbridge estuaries. Some properties were badly affected and the A39 was closed due to a river bursting its banks. Fish were seen swimming around in the flooded Ship Inn in Mevagissey. The flood warnings still in place as high tides and heavy rain spark flooding in Devon and Cornwall | ITV News West Country
Storm Ciaran causes extensive disruption: Storm Ciaron swept in on Wednesday 1 November and caused extensive disruption to the South West on Wednesday and Thursday 2 November. The storm was caused by a very intense low pressure system of 953 mb, which produced exceptionally high wind gusts of over 100 mph, up to 100 mm of rain in some areas and high on-shore waves. Rivers already swollen with rain from Storm Babet burst their banks. At Sidmouth, high waves washed a 4x4 car off the sea front onto the beach. A major landslide occurred on East Cliff at West Bay on the Jurassic Coast and people were warned to stay away from the unstable cliffs. A long section of the A303 was closed for several days near Ilchester due to flood water which could not drain away as surrounding farmland was under water.
The new Exeter flood barriers at the Quay were deployed, although in the event, the swollen river Exe only lapped over its banks following the storm. Many schools were closed, and power cuts affected some parts of the South West. Fortunately, the Met Office Amber warnings were heeded and many people stayed indoors and avoided travel. The Channel Islands were virtually cut off with no ferries or aircraft operating and significant damage by winds. Significant erosion occured of cliffs and beaches across the south and south west of the UK.
Storm Ciarán: Violent winds lash southern England and Channel Islands - BBC News
Devon: Storm Ciarán causes floods, power outages and shuts schools - BBC News
Pictures and videos: Strong winds and stormy seas in Devon and Cornwall - BBC News