Download Creative sweet physical geography

Earth Science
Teachers’ Association
www.esta-uk.net/
CREATIVE
SWEET PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY
Earth Science Teachers’ Association (ESTA)
PRIMARY WORKSHOP
for
PRIMARY PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
GA Annual Conference 2012
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Creative SWEET Physical GEOGRAPHY
A practical workshop for primary teachers on how geographical activities
can enhance cross curricular planning and creativity.
Aims/Objectives
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To be able to use food and cooking to demonstrate properties of rocks and soils
To link these to everyday observations
To be able to develop general skills for use in a variety of areas
To support the understanding of rock and soil structure and erosion in a different way and
that children can relate to
To be able to solve problems and challenges
We have not included many references to the current curriculum however the ideas can
be related to:Geography – KS2 Rivers and Coasts; Environmental change; QCA Unit 14 Rivers
Science –KS2 SC3 Materials; QCA Rocks and Soils 3D
Design Technology – KS2 cooking; planning; designing foods.
Links
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can also be made to:maths – sorting, weighing and measuring
language – verbal descriptions and descriptive writing, vocabulary,
science – changes of state, formation of rocks, formation of soils, properties of
materials, observational skills, planning skills, problem solving skills
culture – using other foods to demonstrate properties etc:
Literacy – descriptive writing, vocabulary
Art – recording by sketch and drawing
IT – recording by photography
Ideas for linked areas of study and other workshops we offer are included within this
handout.
More details of these can be obtained from the facilitators here:Tracy Atkinson – [email protected]
Niki Whitburn – [email protected]
Or:[email protected]
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Information relating to the activities for KS 1 & 2
KS1. Sorting. Linked to rivers and as an introduction to erosion; to demonstrate that
different rocks have different compositions and can be broken down into their various parts;
Can be used as an introduction to any work related to sorting and / or locality where a
river/stream is involved. Children “dissect” the biscuits and sort into the various components
then compare the differences. Links to maths, measuring.
Use: 2 different types of biscuits e.g. chocolate chip and fruit, plates, lolly sticks.
KS2. Erosion, transportation and deposition linked to rivers and coastlines.
This follows on from the above using the analogy of food to help relate rocks and their
properties to their own experiences. Biscuits (as above) can be used, but introducing
different types of cakes e.g. fruit, chocolate, plain, can be used to demonstrate how mixing
different components together can result in a different end product with different
properties. This can then be used to help understanding of erosion, transportation and
deposition and why this may be different for different rocks and the differing components
within these rocks. Following are a few ideas of how you might do this.
Inclusion of actually making the food can also link to cross-curricular work. E.g. Maths
measuring; science melting and cooling, changes of state.
Erosion. Rocks break down differently depending on their strength, hardness and/or
internal “glue”. Thus some components of some rocks are more readily available for –
Transportation. As this is dependent on grain size as well as velocity of flow, rocks which
break down into smaller particles more easily are more readily transported and are thus
more readily available for –
Deposition. Sedimentary rocks are formed when pre existing rocks are deposited, these are
often in layers depending on the type of sediment available which may be governed by the
above in relation to water flow and source rock.
Chocolate. Melted and reformed to demonstrate magma from a volcano. Basalt.
Crispie cakes. Demonstrate how a (e.g.) sandstone matrix is stuck together and how it can be
eroded. This can depend on the amount of matrix (chocolate) holding it together.
Sedimentary sandstone layer biscuits. Using 2 different types of biscuit (as in KS1). Layers
demonstrate different composition plus different potential for erosion.
Granite Scones. Demonstrate how a rock can have a wide variety of components which in
themselves will have different properties in relation to erosion, etc: cherries – pink feldspar,
currants – black mica, scone mix – quartz.
Conglomerate Cake. Demonstrates how many different types of rock can be deposited and
stuck together by a “matrix”. This can then also show how easily, or not these different
components can be broken down further/again.
Shortbread fudge chocolate slices. These can be used to show how different layers of rock
that might be found together behave in relation to potential erosion. Shortbread (e.g.
sandstone) crumbles; fudge/toffee layer bends and stretches; chocolate breaks.
Sugar cubes & pineapple chunks. Can be shaken in a tin for a quick demonstration of
differential erosion. Sugar cubes representing e.g. a sandstone, chunks e.g. a granite.
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Recipes used for the Landscape of Sweet Geography workshop KS1 and KS2
Basic ones from any cookbook could be used.
Crispie cakes *
Melt 1 bar chocolate and add crispies (etc) until appropriate consistency. Place in piles to
cool.
Sedimentary sandstone layer biscuits
Each layer needs approx 175g biscuit and 75g margarine (use less with chocolate biscuits).
Layer 1 –use choc chip cookies; layer 2 -digestives; layer 3 – double choc chip (or fruit
shortbreads or similar).
Melt margarine then add biscuit and mix well. Place in a baking tray and press down. Repeat
for each biscuit until you have three different layers. Chill. Adjust the type of biscuits to
suit your objectives.
Granite Scones.
Basic scone mix; 225gms self raising flour, 50 gms margarine, 25gms caster sugar, 150ml
milk. Roughly chopped cherries and currants.
Rub fat into flour, add sugar, add cherries and currants to make the mix you require to
match your granite, mix well; add milk, knead into a soft dough, divide into piles on a tray and
make into a rock type shape. Cook at 450F, 230C or gas 8 for 10 – 15 mins.
Conglomerate Cake.
200/250g plain chocolate cake covering; 200g fruit and biscuit milk chocolate bar (or fruit &
nut or plain fruit or similar); 50g margarine; 200g broken digestive biscuits; 50g small
marshmallows (pink & yellow mix); 50g raisins; 50g cherries; 50g dates (or sultanas).
Melt chocolate and margarine; break biscuits into small pieces (not crumbs); chop dates and
cherries into irregular sizes and add to biscuits with raisins; add marshmallows (cut up if
large); stir well. Add melted chocolate and mix well together until all ingredients are
coated. Mould into the desired shape using tin foil to keep the shape. Chill.
Could be shaped into one large roll (or rock) or smaller ones.
Shortbread fudge chocolate slices. *
Shortbread base; 100g margarine, 50g caster sugar, 175g flour.
Cream butter and sugar, stir in flour to form a soft dough, knead until smooth, roll out. Put in
base of a baking tray, cook 10-15 mins at 350F/180C. Cool.
Toffee layer: 450g sugar, 110g margarine, 2 tablespoons water.
Place everything in a saucepan and dissolve slowly – stirring. Bring to the boil and cook until
reaches “hard crack” stage (test by dropping a ball in cold water). Pour in top of shortbread,
cool.
Pour melted chocolate over the top when set.
* indicates cakes that can be purchased ready made if necessary.
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ESTA Primary Team – Activities Available.
Sessions are linked to individual requirements particularly relating to content and timing.
Current tendency is towards cross curricular themes and creativity, based around Earth
Science /Physical Geography. We aim to make anything relevant to the area where possible
e.g. local rocks, or environments.
We have until recently focussed on presenting workshops at conferences, and have also
worked with BGS (British Geological Survey).
Some members have gone into individual schools to aid teachers with work being done in the
classroom (arranged through personal contact).
Minerals.
 Sorting – Treasure chests
activity or demo
 Properties and Identification (teacher knowledge) activity
 Story telling
further ideas
 Mineral fight
further ideas
 Cake mix
further ideas
Rocks.
 Identifying rocks
activity or partial activity
 Sorting rocks
activity or demo
 Properties of rocks
activity (links to mineral one)
 Porosity
demo (participatory)
 Drilling holes making wells
demo (participatory)
 Building stone walks
demo/ further ideas
 Weathering
further ideas
 Rocks for breakfast
demo/ further ideas
 Erosion
demo (participatory)
Soils.
 Linking to rocks & identifying components
activity
 Separating soils (wet)
demo
 Separating soils (dry)
activity or demo
 Permeability
activity or demo
 Painting with soil
activity or demo
 Making your own soil
further ideas
 Field work – soil horizons
further ideas
 Linking to growing plants
further ideas
Rivers and Coasts
 The life of a river
demo then activity
 Coastal Changes
demo then activity
 Spring in a bottle
further ideas
 Erosion
demo (participatory)
Cross Curricular
 Sweet Geography / Earth Science
ideas linked to DT & cooking
 Describing minerals and or rocks
literacy links
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