Moroccan Sahara adventure - in David Attenborough's footprints

Here in the schools department we hope you had a fabulous half term break.

Some of our team were out and about; Darren was with a school trip to the Bay of Naples and Katherine and Beverley had a fantastic five days in Morocco with a group of teachers on an inspection visit to Morocco.

Here is a little snippet from Katherine regarding their trip.

"I spent the week on a teacher inspection trip in Morocco and I’m absolutely smitten with the country – amazing geographical diversity, extremely photogenic and culturally fascinating. It’s a great place to study human geography, in particular, surviving in extreme environments.

Did you see David Attenborough’s Human Planet series – the second episode specifically “Deserts – Life in the Furnace”? You can watch a clip online about the digging of underground rivers to link a network of hand dug wells in order to filter water from high altitude areas to the desert communities. Although this clip was filmed in Algeria the same method has been adopted and is used in the southern areas of the Moroccan Sahara, just above the Algerian border, where I was last week – we saw some spectacular examples of these rivers and wells."

Both Katherine and Beverley want to thank all of the teachers who participated on the trip to see these geographical wonders of Morocco and the opportunities it would offer their students.  It was a wonderful experience made all the more enjoyable by such good company.

For details of how you can participate in a free* teacher inspection vist please click here.

 

PS we will feature Darren's trip next time

*terms and conditions apply

 

 

Half term whale encounters in Iceland

We are often asked here in the schools department whether whale watching is a good idea in February.  Well, we are delighted to report that some of our adventurous schools who braved the elements of the North Atlantic this past half term have had some amazing encounters of a cetacean kind.

The trip yesterday morning for our school was quite an adventure.  The weather played a part bringing snow, sleet, hail and then snow again, a small pod of white beaked dolphins was spotted but the trip was crowned by an encounter with a humpback whale as they were returning to the harbour.  With wonderful flukes close to the boat the students had a fantastic end to their study trip to Iceland.

Not only that but they also managed to witness the Northern Lights during their trip so it really was a trip to remember.

Also, our inaugral Killer Whales and Northern Lights trip on our main programme to the wonderful bay of Grundarfjordur earlier in February had Orca whales and the Northern Lights also making a visit to Iceland in February a memorable experience.  The tours for this year are already sold out for the rest of February and March but sign up for our e newsletter to be the first to know all about our new tours when they are launched.

 

 

FREE One day Geography CPD course for KS3 and GCSE

This free CPD course at our offices in Banstead, Surrey aims to develop the use of global examples and case studies in the teaching of geography at KS3 and GCSE. You will have the opportunity to discuss and evaluate a range of practical approaches to develop your geography students’ global sense of place.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    zzzSimon Simon Ross                                 

is Head of Geography at Queen’s College, Taunton and is an examiner/moderator for a major GCSE exam board. He has written and edited numerous textbooks including Geography GCSE AQA A (Nelson Thornes) and AQA Geography AS/A2 (OUP). He is the Geography Advisor for ‘Discover the World’ and has been working on the production of resources for teachers both in the field and in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Rogers

is Curriculum Leader of the multi-award winning geography department at Priory School in Portsmouth. He is a Chartered Geographer and Chair of the Geographical Association's Secondary Phase Committee. David has delivered professional development sessions to a wide variety of audiences and is known for his innovative approach to learning and practical, easily implemented tips.

 

 

To register for your FREE place please email

study@discovertheworld.co.uk

If you would like more information please click here.

Look forward to meeting you in Banstead, Surrey

£2,000 Discover the World inaugral grant for schools

You could win our inaugral £2000 grant towards a school field trip to Iceland - we believe this wonderful country is the world's best living textbook!

We are offering a £2,000 grant for one school group to use against a field trip to Iceland. Any school can apply, you just need to let us know why you think your school should qualify for this fantastic opportunity.  The winners will be awarded the grant on the basis of the application that most impresses the adjudicators at the Geographical Association.  As a result of the grant you could organise a school trip to Iceland from as little as £340 per person (based on 20 paying passengers and 2 free staff in low season for a 3 day tour).
All applications must be received by 20 April 2012. To find out about full terms and conditions and how to apply, click here »

More information about our student trips to Iceland and beyond.

 

Missed the Northern Lights in the UK?

You lucky few in the North with that stunning display of the Northern Lights over the UK last week.  We in the South were quite envious of the glorious photographs displayed on the BBC website.

However, all is not lost for us Southerners - you can still see the Aurora Borealis on a student trip to Iceland during the months of October through to  April.  We are currently getting a lot of requests for 2012 and even 2013 so if you are thinking of planning a trip do get in touch soon.  These dates tie in very nicely with the forecast by Nasa that these next two winters are likely to be the best show of Northern Lights for over a decade - if not more if some reports are to be believed.

The Alaska website offers you and your students a chance to see what the likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights - sun solar flare activity and clear skies permitting!

Autumn half term student trip to the Bay of Naples

We are delighted to announce we have some availability for a very special all inclusive trip to the very best of the Bay of Naples for you and your students.

Your tour will include 6 full days in Italy, all excursions including Mount Vesuvius and observatory, Phlegrean fields, a boat trip to the glorious Isle of Capri, and of course an inspiring trip to Pompeii and Herculaneum with some time in the resort town of Sorrento.  All the meals are included making this a fully inclusive trip.

At only £599 for your students (based on 40 students and 4 teachers) this represents excellent value for money.  The flights depart early on the 31st October from Gatwick returning in the evening of the 5th November. (smaller group sizes can be accommodated too!)

 Please e mail for full details study@discovertheworld.co.uk

 

ASE Conference - Eyjafjallajokull ash...

Thank you for coming to visit us at the ASE Conference in Liverpool.

It was great to meet you and to share some of the ash from the famously unprounceable volcano Eyjafjallajokull.  Whilst at the conference we found out the ash is magnetic!

That is why the lightening was so spectacular as the volcano erupted - captured fantastically by this amazing photograph by Ragnar.

If you would like more information about the volcano do sign up for our free on-line study aid.  You can also request some ash for yourself to see what all the fuss was about at study@discovertheworld.co.uk

If you would like to collect some ash yourself why not join us on an Iceland study visit.

 

Eyjafjallajokull erupts ... for those that missed it...

If you were affected by Eyjafjallajokull's ash cloud or simply want to know more about this 2010 eruption then take a look at our BRAND NEW online study aids.

Written by David Rogers and Simon Ross these brand new case study material, classroom resources and lessons give you first hand accounts, video clips and maps and diagrams supported by stunning images.  To get your FREE access please register

In addition get YOUR OWN SAMPLE OF THE ASH by e mailing us study@discovertheworld.co.uk. 

This online study aid will give you everything you ever wanted to know about Iceland's famously unpronounceable volcano!  Even how to pronounce it.......

 

 

How to build a volcano!

I will be glued to the TV on Thursday night at 8pm on Channel 5 to watch "How to build a volcano".

This amazing project involves top vulcanologists from around the world who have collaborated with  some of the top Hollywood creators for a breathtaking and dangerous project.  They will be testing the latest scientific therories in a series of experiments by creating a series of spectacular volcanic eruptions and really putting to the test the many theories that abound in the world of volcanoes.

They will try to answer the many unsolved questions on the nature of volcanoes and the geological activity that sets them off.

The programme ends with a spectacular climax.

Here you can see the stunning eruption Eyjafjallajokul in April 2010.  You can now get up close and personal on our EXCLUSIVE 8WD excursion which we now offer our school groups who travel with us to Iceland.

 

All the results are in! Congratulations to your students

Congratulations to all your students on their exam results. I hope they are exactly what they wanted and will allow them to continue on their journey towards their goals.

We have heard from teachers, and indeed students themselves, saying how much a field trip had helped them in their studies and inspired them to take up Geography at either A level or University following an overseas field trip.

In the Guardian, Michael Palin stressed how important Geographers are in shaping the world we live - so your students are the key to the future – but you know that already.

If you would like to see some of the students’ comments and feedback from teachers about a field trip with Discover the World please take a peek here.

And if this inspires you to start thinking about your next field trip please e mail study@discovertheworld.co.uk to receive a personal copy of our new brochure out shortly. We are number one to Iceland, which just brings the text book alive as many of you know already, and have added some really exciting new destinations to many other volcanic islands.

Congratulations again!