This is an experimental phase to get Sec 1 students of Springfield Secondary School to use this blog as part of their learning journey in Geography.







Geogo
VERONICE
xGERMAINE
}the-opendoors
attitudeqirl.
Jus
kira
cha0apple


Geogo Veronice xGERMAINE- }the-opendoors attitudeqirl. Jus~ kira cha0apple







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Springfield Forum



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I will be finishing chapter 5 next week and I will be giving out a class quiz for you all to do. Additionally, I like you all to do review exercise page 49 to 55 in your workbook for your 1 week holiday. This should prepare you for the class test that will be held in the third week of March, 2007. The class test will cover chapter 4 and 5.
I am going to start a mini blogging committee with a representative from each class, among them a leader and assistant leader will be selected too. I will like to hear from the rest of you how we can make this blog more interactive for everyone to be involved.

I would like some students from each class to contribute some things they have learn in class or on their own. This will be posted up on the blog with their photos (or not if you are not comfortable).

I guess the task to help me out with the blog would be of great interest to the committee, but I would like to add that any material that is to be posted on the blog have to be emailed to me for approval.

Again, suggestions and more suggestions please. Like I said many times before, I set the paper, you sit the paper. May the study force be with you.
I think I need to clarify some matters on the International Dateline, Prime Meridian and Greenwich Meridian. First of all, the 0° longitude is not the international dateline, it is known as the prime meridian or Greenwich meridian. The 180° longitude line halfway across the world is the international dateline.

Please note that only the express stream will be tested on this material.

The key confusion alot of you seems to have is how people loses and gain one day. A easy way to understand this part is that you must first accept that at the 180° longitude, people west of this line is a full day earlier than those on the east.

If you are going westwards from the prime meridian to the international dateline, you minus an hour for every 15° you travel westwards on the planet and add an hour for every 15° you travel eastwards on the planet.

Check up on this sites if you want find out more about the international dateline,

http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/idl.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Date_Line

http://www.answers.com/topic/international-date-line
It seems alot of you are very interested in learning alot more and really want to make a new design for this site, I am all for it. If you want to do so, please leave your name, class and class index on the comment page. I will get back to you and I might start a blogging committee for the sec 1.

I got a comment on the study groups too that some of you want to go solo on your quest, it is fine by me, like I said: I set the paper, you sit the paper. If you think you do better going on your own, I am fine with it too. As for remedials and study group, I will be starting one up by next week. Places will be limited and those that have failed the common test will have 'special priviledge' of having the first priority. Lessons as usual will be upstairs in the IT Resource Room 1 probably about at 2.30pm (I have to eat my lunch first) and go on for an hour. lessons will be informal and the focus will be on areas that you are weak on. Note that study groups can join in too, but do not be surprise if I take some of you to help teach you schoolmates.

Lastly, if you do start your study group, stick with it and try out other chapters on your own if the interest compels you to do so. So go forth and venture into the dark!
I had several students last week looking for remedial and more homework, I am very happy to see that some of you are beginning to take ownership of your studies. I shared some suggestions with them that I would to share with the rest of you too. First of all, I like to point out I am not going to enforce or insist that you must do so, but I am strongly recommending it.

Get into groups of 4 to 5 and buy external assesment books to do. That way you can split the cost of the book and you can come together to discuss your answers too. The benefits of doing this is 2 folds, firstly you can improve on your answering techniques on different types of questions and compare your answering with the answers at the back, secondly you become more confident in Geography and learn to take ownership of your studies.

Don't worry about trying questions that is outside of the chapters that I have not covered, it is fine, by taking the effort to move ahead of your teacher is exactly what I want, afterall it is all teacher's hope that their students become better than their teacher.

Here are some examples of books that you can try, don't worry I am not the companies sales representatives.

Longman Geography: Revsion Guide Sec 1
Penman's: Student's Companion Series, Geography Sec 1

I will try to look up for more other assessment books.
Check this link on more detailed descriptions on topographical features, this will helpp you greatly in understanding page 48-50 of your textbook, under chapter 5.
http://reynolds.asu.edu/topo_gallery/topo_gallery.htm

Just look at the simple features on this link, it is not necessary to look up on the complex features.
There are many ways in studying, but my personal opinion is that understanding is the key to get the most of your studies. The 2 main methods I normally use and encourage in Geography is to:

1. Mindmap-
Break down your chapters into topics, sub-topics and details. Add on more links when you learn more. In fact, all the chapters in your textbook are connected one or another.

2. The 5 Ws-
What happened
Who was involved
When did it happen
Where did it happen
Why did it happen

The 5 Ws are the key in understanding any event or subject, by answering those questions will help you with better understanding of any topic.

Take note that tips are not to help you directly getting better results in your tests or exams, because another factor has to be taken into account, which is answering correctly.

2. Rural & urban-the difference
There are still some people struggling with the term rural and urban. PLEASE REMEMBER: A rural settlement is a place with few buildings like a village or a 'kampung'. A urban settlement is a place with alot of buildings like a city or town. Do not describe the activity there as a form of settlement, unless I specify in the question.

3. Read your questions and answers carefully
The age old problem with students, I still have students not answering to the questions. READ the question carefully before answering. Lastly, READ your answers before submitting, I have a few cases of students writing the right answer for the wrong question.

Please take note that aside from this issues that I have highlighted, I also do note that many girls have a problem answering correctly to the point, although you may have gotten some marks for your answer, it was mainly based on the strength of youe english to pull your results up, but it will not be helpful for the next class test on chapter 4 and 5 which will be on purely understanding.
Here are some of my favourite Geography links, you can find alot of information here about Geography.

On matters about the physical environment and our natural resources:
www.mongabay.com

On weathers, climate and pollution:
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/topics.html

On all other stuff that you might need to find:
http://wikipedia.org

There are many more other sites that I will post up, so keep yourself updated on this blog.
If you have any other sites you like to share, please put up your comments.

Here are more sites that I find is useful:

http://www.geography.about.com
http://www.answers.com
To all my sec 1 students who have any comments or suggestions to improve the lessons, please put your comments here. I will try my best to accomodate any good suggestions for the class. Please add your name and class after the comment. Lastly, keep your comments focused on the lessons and nothing else.




I started this blog to help the Sec 1 students get another venue for details on their lessons and other possible materials. As this is my first time experimenting using a blog to teach, I would encourage my students and teachers to provide comments to improve it.

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